Vindicta
by Luna Skyee
Summary: When Hinata is kidnapped during the shinobi war, Sakura embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue her—and meets some unlikely company along the way. Ita/Saku and Naru/Hina.
1. Initium

When Hinata is kidnapped during the shinobi war, Sakura embarks on a mission to rescue her—and meets some unlikely company along the way. Ita/Saku and Naru/Hina.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, although I do own his cute sleeping cap!

**Chapter One** **-**Initium

_Hinata_

"Alright, so the plan is to invade the force and destroy as many of those Zetsu as possible. If we manage to finish them all, it's once step closer to finally ending this mess". Kitsuchi's voice rang out with an authoritative tone, effectively silencing the rest of the division two. This part of the shinobi alliance specialized in close range fighting, which consisted of Sakura, Neji, Hinata and thousands of other ninja, who were all united with the hidden villages to wage a war against Akatsuki.

Hinata took a deep, cleansing breath. She couldn't help but to feel anticipation what the future held. Resisting the urge to fidget, she glanced at Neji, who was standing beside her and Sakura.

Neji must have sensed her anxiety; at that moment he turned to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. He gave her a small smile that seemed to assure his cousin everything would be all right.

_But would it?_

There were each five divisions fighting, composed of about a hundred-thousand ninja. Hinata did some quick calculations and figured with such large numbers on their side, they were bound to win by sheer force, right? For what seemed like the millionenth time that day, she worried about Naruto and how he was faring. The only silver lining about this war was that he would safely be somewhere else for the time being. Where he was hidden, only the Godaime and a select few others knew.

Neji's deep voice suddenly interjected her thoughts. "Think of this as a chance to prove yourself to your father. If you take out our enemies and manage to succeed in our mission within a short time, he will be proud," he said. Her cousin's ivory eyes were gentle, but his jaw was tense with resolve.

Hinata could only merely nod. Her anxiety had reached new heights and she felt dizzy with nausea. Even though she had fought against Pein in the past, it was a temporary moment of bravery. _And insanity_, she thought. Fighting was a method she used to defend the ones she loved; given a choice she would prefer not to wage war at all. However, if her village, family and the boy she loved was threatened, she would battle to the death.

The young Hyuuga felt the courage she had gathered from Pein's fight surge through her. Kitsuchi's booming voice addressed their division:

"Today we will focus on traveling to the perimeter of the lightening country to prevent the enemy forces from invading any major towns. To protect civilians is one of our greatest priorities. Tomorrow we'll begin to hunt down Akatsuki and their allies. Be prepared for a long battle!"

With his final words declared, he turned and strode back to the tent that had been set up for him, smirking slightly at the cheers and battle cries his speech produced. Their division would be camping out in the dense Lightening country forest. Shinobi gathered in small groups to set up for the night. No doubt it would a sleepless night, as many were carefully planning their strategies for tomorrow, sharpening weapons, and studying last-minute jutsu. Hinata, Neji and Sakura, as well as a group of other Konoha ninja gathered and began to set up their own small camp. Hinata kept herself busy by checking the perimeter of the area and helping other ninja set up concealment Genjutsu. She eventually returned to where Neji and the other Konoha shinobi were resting. They spoke in muted voices about the ongoing war:

"…of course, we don't know what Akatsuki has in store. We have to the best we can, I know we'll be victorious in the end," Neji declared.

"Yeah, I only wish that Uzumaki kid was here to help out. He got rid of Pein didn't he? I don't know why he's not here," one of the other Konoha members observed. He scratched his light brown hair in confusion over the thought.

"Naruto is strong, but I know we can take them out too. I fought Sasori, he was an Akatsuki member. It was difficult…but in the end, Chiyo-san and I won," Sakura said.

The Konoha ninja gasped and looked at Sakura in admiration. "_You're_ the one who fought the legendary Sasori of the Sand with his grandmother, Chiyo-baasama?"

Sakura blushed and affirmed with a quick nod. "Of course, Hinata here confronted Pein himself! She saved Naruto when he was down."

The Hyuuga heiress' eyes widened at the sudden shift in attention and willed her complexion to remain pale as the Konoha ninja gave murmurs of approval and awe. Hinata knew she was failing as she felt her face burn—she was certain she resembled the not-so-flattering shade of a tomato by now. Hinata took a seat next to Neji and surveyed the forest that surrounded their camp. Beyond the dark emerald mass of trees, the famous land of Lightening mountains loomed over them. Hinata secretly shivered at the thought of traveling to the snowcapped regions. She wasn't fond of the cold.

"Neji-san, we should get some sleep for tomorrow…" Hinata suggested. Her cousin nodded in agreement and lay down, using his vest as a pillow. Eventually, the other Konoha ninja drifted off to sleep one by one. Although there were other division two members on night watch, Hinata couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them. She knew if she told Neji about her fear he would only tell her she was being too paranoid. Anyway, it was unlikely enemy forces had already located their division.

_Naruto-kun, I hope to see you again after this nightmare ends._

Naruto had never gotten the chance to give her proper answer for the bold confession she declared of her love to him. Hinata comforted herself with thoughts of Naruto's cheerful smile, for once aimed at her. In a matter of moments she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A mere hundred miles away, Tobi and Kabuto were examining a mass army of Zetsu clones. With both Edo-Tensei and the Zetsu army at their disposal, they would be virtually invincible.

Tobi peered across his huge amount of soldiers and finally spoke, interrupting the cave's eerie silence. "We need to capture the Kyuubi and Gyuki, first and foremost. My plan will be nothing without him." He clenched his fists in anticipation.

Kabuto was silent for a moment, contemplating how much information to reveal to his new partner. He would assist Tobi as much as it would benefit him. His own goal was to capture the Kyuubi's best friend, Sasuke. He desired a pure blooded Uchiha to experiment on—and to get his revenge for the murder of Orochimaru. Even with his powerful Edo-Tensei army at his disposal, he needed a larger army to help fight the alliance.

Kabuto replied with a soft murmur, "Well, if we need to lure Naruto and Killer-Bee out from where the Godaime has hidden them, perhaps we can send some Edo-Tensei to retrieve him." He had Sasori and Deidara in mind for this particular mission.

"No," Tobi said. "I have another way to capture the Jinchuuriki. It won't involve us losing valuable soldiers; the boy will come running right to our door." With a pivot on his heel, he walked briskly towards the entrance of Akatsuki's headquarters. Had he already calculated out the final details of this plan?

There was a certain dangerous aura Tobi emitted, even though he rarely fought on his own. He had managed to obtain the legendary Rinnegan, and combined with the Sharingan he was downright deadly. Kabuto kept his careful gaze set upon the man as he exited the headquarters. With a contemplative sigh, he glanced down again at the vast Zetsu army. _When I get the Uchiha, I'll have to take Tobi down._

Kabuto quickly materialized out of the cave, leaving the Akatsuki hideout in eerie silence.

* * *

Hinata woke with a start as Neji gently nudged her. When her eyes snapped open, he knew she must be filled with tension at the thought of the day's events ahead of her.

She gingerly sat up and gazed around as various ninja around the camp site were quickly assembling their few items together and finalizing last minute plans. The weather was slightly chilly, with an endless grey sky looming over the forest.

Hinata abruptly sat up and began helping Neji gather their items.

"Um…Neji-san, how do you think the other divisions are doing?" she asked. She merely wanted to fill up the strangely quiet atmosphere surrounding them. All the shinobi wore solemn expressions. Some of them must have realized the gravity of the situation and knew by the end of today, the size of their camp would be much smaller.

"I'm not sure, we've only just started. We should try to concentrate on ourselves and eliminate as many enemies as possible", he replied. Knowing Neji, he was already calculating the largest amount of enemies he could hurt with one immaculate Eight Trigrams move.

"Of course, well I wish you the best of luck today. I know you'll do well, you've come such a long way", she blushed at her words.

Neji smiled in returned, giving a small _thank you_ before walking to the small group of Konoha shinobi to formulate attack strategies. Meanwhile, Hinata assisted another group from Stone by gathering together last-minute items.

"Everyone, we must be ready to leave in ten minutes! You know your positions and once again, the goal in simple. Take out as much of Akatsuki forces as you can", Kitsuchi said. He was dressed in his usual Stone attire and had a small general pin on his vest. His demeanor was mixed with trepidation and excitement; he was bouncing on the balls of his feet and twirling his own Stone engraved kunai. Two other Stone assistants stood beside him, their own expressions carefully impassive.

Hinata's heart gave another burst of adrenaline at the thought of finally going to battle. She knew she was prepared as she was ever going to be, so she had to have faith. Once the entire division was packed and ready to go, Kitsuchi's and his assistants lead the way down the convoluted forest. The sun was rising, basking the trees in a soft glow; it was small consolation they would have a little more light to travel.

They flew at break necking speed from tree to tree, for a couple of hours. No one felt the pain of overexertion and muscle aches yet, as most of the ninja had taken pills or other medications to prolong fatigue.

Neji suddenly tensed and whipped his head to the left. His eyes narrowed and he activated his Byakugan immediately. Hinata peeked at him in confusion and followed suit. She peered around the forest with her bloodline and gasped. She had seen what alarmed her cousin:

About a few miles to their left were very faint, unknown chakra signatures. From their position, they were no doubt an enemy and were trying to remain concealed. Neji snapped his head back to Hinata and said urgently, "we must warn the leader." Within seconds he had flown far ahead to Kitsuchi; Hinata quickly followed and tried to keep calm.

_We have the element of surprise now. We can catch them unaware. _Her feeble attempting to comfort herself were not as successful she hoped, because with another jolt of panic she noticed the signatures were closing in. She sped up to Neji and their division leader.

Neji was speaking in a hushed tone to Kitsuchi, who was nodding with a grim expression. The lines etched in his forehead deepened with each passing word her cousin murmured. Their division leader closed his eyes once Neji was silent, processing the information. Hinata knew they didn't expect enemies this early. _War isn't exactly some convenient tea party though_, she thought bitterly.

Kitsuchi signaled to his assistants with a wave of his hand and came to a rapid stop on a large tree branch. He flung his arm out to prevent anyone from going past him. The rest of the division ceased and looked toward their leader for explanation. Some of the younger shinobi grinned and clutched their kunai, ready for a fight, while the more seasoned members looked tense with anticipation.

"Listen shinobi, we have knowledge there are unknown chakra signatures surrounding us. We have yet to confirm if they're enemies or not, so we're going to need to send so—"

"_Aarghh!"_

A single pained cry pierced the air, interrupting the general's orders. Kitsuchi lapsed into silence and scanned the division as he tried to locate the source of the scream. Other ninja were gripping their weapons, their bodies still as they tilted their heads in an effort to follow suit.

"Kesu-san is missing!" one of the shinobi cried. He barely had time to finish the sentence when thousands of kunai pelted the air. Hinata gasped as she realized the weapons were all precisely aimed at the division. She quickly dodged two kunai directed her way and jumped back on a nearby branch. Neji and all the ninja nearby had already done the same and were firing their weapons back with a determined fury.

Hinata whipped out her own shuriken and flung them out into the forest, hoping to at least impale one enemy. One of her kunai bounced off a tree; two others pierced her intended target, she heard a deep groan of pain. She stared wildly with her Byakugan as she realized with a shock just how many of the Akatsuki they were fighting. Hundreds of plant-like creatures emerged even closer to the division, and a few had started to leap onto the trees and attack them with Taijutsu.

"_Hinata-sama, look out!_" Neji's frantic voice reached her ears as she turned to come head to head with one the plant ninja. Her cousin's warning was sent seconds too late—an agonizing pain seared through her skull. She whirled around to fend off her attacker, her hands already forming into the first seals of a jutsu, but her surroundings began to slowly transform into blinding flashes.

_No, no I mustn't loose consciousness. Not like this, not here._She desperately tried to keep herself upright, but the blow to her head had been traumatic. Warm blood oozed down her cheek. It almost felt soothing—before her death, her mother used to hold her face when she was a little girl, the sensation felt nearly the same. The last thing Hinata remembered seeing was countless ninja fighting, injured, or dying—and Neji's expression of dismay as he tried to save her before it was too late.

* * *

_Sakura_

The forest looming overhead gradually became more barren with every passing moment as Haruno Sakura leapt from branch to branch. She had to adjust her weight every so often; the limbs of the trees were less than sturdy. Her mind raced with random thoughts that plowed through—was she truly doing the right thing? Abandoning her division like this? What if they did need her? She had left a note to Kitsuchi explaining how she had to return to the alliance headquarters to retrieve more medical supplies. But would he believe such a lie?

After witnessing Hinata's kidnapping, Neji and the kunoichi had battled on with more ferocity than ever. She had disappeared so suddenly—one of the Akatsuki ninja clutched her limp body and held a kunai to her neck as they were both swallowed into the soil. The reality of their dire situation hit home for both of the young Leaf ninja. No matter how many of those ninja-plant opponents Sakura and Neji managed to pummel into the ground, none would admit, or even seemed to know, where the Hyuuga heiress had been taken. Or _why_ she had been abducted in the first place.

After the assault, the rest of their division stopped to rest and recover for the night. Neji urged Kitsuchi to continue on to the Akatsuki headquarters, but there were too many critical injuries and casualties suffered. The Hyuuga prodigy had decided to take matters on his own hands; the memory of their departures was etched in her mind...

_An hour ago_

With an unceremonious vigor, Neji shoved each healing scroll into his traveling bag with a reserved fury Sakura had never seen before. The rest of the division had fallen into what little sleep they could achieve—the medics were healing the injured.

The kunoichi focused on the eleventh patient that had been brought to her. He was a young man, who looked remarkably like her ex team-mate, Sasuke. His skin would have been the same flawless shade of porcelain, had it not been scarred deeply. A deep, cruel gash from a simple kunai strike lined his face. One of his eyes bled so heavily Sakura knew he would permanently lose his sight. His resemblance to the boy she had declared her love to unnerved her. All she could think about was the last time she had seen Sasuke-at the Kage Summit. He had attempted to murder her for refusing to kill his teammate, Karin. With a tremor in her hands, she began to heal. Sakura concentrated on blocking out all outside stimuli and regretful memories as her chakra enhanced fingers darted with a precision Tsunade herself would have proud of. The injured ninja's profuse bleeding began to subside with every gentle touch. Sakura let out a sigh of relief as she examined the results of her work. He would be blind in one eye, which would impair his ability to see depth, but he would be alive and healthy.

Sakura finally allowed herself to relax after six hours of brutal healing sessions. She lay against one of the trees, her back soothed by the cool bark. The scent of alcohol and damp soil mingled with the air and invaded her nostrils. Sakura wondered how Naruto and Kakashi-sensei were managing. More than ever, she yearned to hear a silly joke from Naruto, or a lame excuse from Kakashi for his lateness. Even Sai and his ridiculous insults would bring a familiar relief. She signed and admired the stars scattered across the night sky. Her thoughts were interrupted by a movement in her peripheral vision.

Sakura glanced up in alarm, one hand sliding along her leg to grab a kunai from her holster and another forming a chakra infused fist. Their division couldn't afford another ambush.

"It's me. Don't be frightened." Neji's cool voice rang out into the air. He walked slowly towards the kunoichi with his hands raised. His bag was slung over his shoulder.

"I wasn't frightened. You should be though. I almost sent ten kunai your way!" Sakura said. Her pulse pounded in her ears. It would be a long time before she would sleep soundly at night again. "Where are you going?" She already had a good guess of what his answer would be.

"To find Hinata-sama. Those scum have captured her, we cannot wait another night. By then it could be…too late," he said. Neji gave a great sigh and brushed a frustrated hand through his hair. His normally stoic expression was tense with worry. His jaw twitched and he shifted his feet.

"I understand how much you want to find her Neji-san. I really do. But you can't venture out there alone. Even if you do succeed in locating her, which I know would be easy with your bloodline; you can't defeat an entire army by yourself."

Neji's pearly eyes narrowed into slits. "Are you suggesting I wait around while they do whatever they please to my cousin? Our clan will not allow for it. You don't understand our customs."

"I may not, but it's a suicidal mission if you go alone! Kitsuchi has been up all night formulating a rescue plan. Hiashi-san already has word of what happened to his daughter. You must wait for the—"

"I will wait for no one!" Neji's voice was sharp as he went on, "My father sacrificed himself to save my cousin years ago. He marched to his own death and never looked back. Do you think I'll be a coward and wait around while she's being imprisoned, tortured, or worse? She'll be dead long before we ever reach her."

Sakura's mind raced with possible arguments to keep Neji safe and with the division. Although she was never particularly close with the older ninja, she clung on to anyone familiar in this hostile environment. To lose another teammate would be too much. Hinata…then Sasuke. Her thoughts darted to Naruto. The entire Akatsuki had been after his blood for years. By the time this terrible war was over, how many more friends would never return to Konoha? Her eyes squeezed shut and she willed herself not to cry.

"Listen to me. Don't leave!" she said as she rose to her feet. Neji had already turned to face the rest of the woodland. "I think I know why Hinata was kidnapped. Akatsuki is after Naruto…and they know from the fight with Pein how much he cares for her," Sakura began. Her voice grew steadier as she rushed to explain, "They won't kill Hinata until they lure Naruto to their base. She's at least safe until then."

Neji had turned back again to face her and was studying the kunoichi with serious consideration. She resisted the urge to squirm under his scrutinizing gaze.

"So Naruto will have to be sacrificed in order rescue her? We've been trying to protect him this entire time. It's simply impossible the alliance will give him up to save my cousin."

"No, once Naruto finds about this he will confront Akatsuki on his own. No matter what he won't let Hinata be killed for his sake. I think we both know that, Neji-san," Sakura said.

"Of course. But I won't rely on him to save her. What if he fails? Like I said, I'm no coward. I will fight them myself."

"What if both you and Naruto rescued Hinata together? She's a strong girl; she will survive long enough for you to make the journey to find Naruto and devise a plan," Sakura said. "Your chance of a successful mission will be far greater than if you went alone without any help." Sakura was suddenly reminded of Kakashi. Her sensei always encouraged accomplishing tasks as a team. To never abandon one's comrades in the face of danger. Or death.

Neji stared off into the forest, contemplating her suggestion. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I can't. If we don't make it in time, I'll never be able to forgive myself. I won't allow my father's sacrifice to be made in vain. There's no way of confirming their intentions with Hinata-sama. For all we know Akatsuki could kill her and send her body to Naruto just to infuriate him. He would still escape from his hiding place to avenge her."

Sakura couldn't deny this grim truth. There was no way of knowing their enemy's motivation behind Hinata's abduction. Or what her fate would be if they waited even a day. But Neji would surely die in his effort to rescue her. She thought of her feeble attempt to kill Sasuke, and all the comrades she had put in danger in her foolish plan. The kunoichi had made a vow to never allow a teammate to die if she could help it. Now was the time to prove how strong that promise was.

"I'll go and locate Naruto. We'll travel together and meet up with you. If we aren't at the Akatsuki headquarters in three days, go ahead and attempt your mission," she said.

Neji eyed her for a moment. "But what about the rest of the division? How are you going to heal the injured? They need your assistance."

"The worse of the damage is already healed. There are enough medics to mend the less critical wounds. Besides," Sakura stood and began to pack her own bag. "Hinata once put her life on the line to save Naruto. I think it's only fair I return the favor to her."

Neji's frown relaxed into a faint smile—the first she had seen from him in days. "Thank you, Sakura."

* * *

The kunoichi's legs pushed off of each branch with more power than she thought possible. She had a faint idea of where Naruto was located. Before they had separated into their respective divisions, Ino had told her he was on an island near the Land of Lightening, according to her information she gathered from her father, who was stationed at the headquarters. Sakura flung open the worn map she had been studying for the past two hours. Although it was now ingrained in her memory, she needed to make sure she was on the right course at all times. She couldn't afford any delays.

There was one island near the Land of Lightening, but the map indicated it was dangerous and brimming with aggressive creatures that could only rival Konoha's Forest of Death. Sakura hoped she wouldn't face any trouble in her attempt to contact Naruto. But what if her blond teammate wasn't even on the island? The thought surged through her every so often, like a lightening bolt she couldn't avoid. Hiding him away in a dangerous place didn't seem like something the alliance would do. But she had to trust Ino's information, for at this point, it was the only hope she had.

**End of Chapter 1**

This story is a bit of a different take on the current war going on. No Itachi in this chapter, but he may make an appearance in the next one. ;) I'll have chapter two up by Sunday. Thank you any feedback!


	2. Conventus

****Thank you for the reviews! They mean a lot and I'll work on improving. :)) I don't own any part of Naruto.

**Chapter Two- **Conventus

* * *

After an hour of so of relentless travel, the trip was beginning to wear on Sakura. Since the ambush attack with Akatsuki, she had no sleep. Dawn was now approaching. As a medic, after every battle they need to stay awake and alert to attend to healing sessions. Tsunade always said, "Medics stay safe behind the front lines. Mending wound after wound is where they risk their life, as well as their patient's. They must have perfect chakra control to keep their reserves strong."

Ten minutes later, Sakura lost her footing. She had been graceful—easy for her to do with her nimble movements and petite frame—but the kunoichi couldn't prevent the accident that happened. Her leg pushed too hard on one of the delicate tree branches. It broke with a small _crack_ and seconds later she found herself tumbling towards the ground. Sakura slammed into the hard, icy surface. The kunoichi sat up, wincing, feeling for any broken bones or injured muscles. Other than a tender bruise on her right leg, she appeared to be okay. How foolish! To risk her health when she had a mission that depended on Hinata and Neji's lives. She had made a lot of noise during her fall, but no one seemed to be around. She couldn't sense any chakra signatures anywhere nearby. Perhaps it would be a good idea to rest for just a minute or two…

Sakura laid herself gingerly against some dead leaves. To her worn body, they felt as luxurious as the five-star hotel the old Team 7 once stayed at. She smiled at the memory. Their client was a wealthy older woman, who lost her cat on a monthly basis. Sakura closed her eyes and relived a more carefree time…

"_You know, this place isn't too bad!" Naruto declared with his usual level of enthusiasm. He collapsed into the Egyptian cotton sheets—dirty jumpsuit and all—and sighed like a content kitten. "Maybe we can take a little longer than usual to find Mittens. You know, like a week…or three." _

_Sasuke scoffed and muttered something about the hotel not "being up to Uchiha standards of living." _

_Naruto rolled on the bed and met Sasuke's face, who was relaxing on the sofa. "Aww, is wittle Sasuke-chan homesick?" _

_The Uchiha's eye twitched and he pushed Naruto off the bed; the blond fell on the floor in an ungraceful heap, resembling a drunken Tsunade. "Shut up. Unlike some people, my diet doesn't consist of cheap ramen and expired milk. I know how to make a house actually livable." _

_Naruto's cheek flushed with embarrassment and he retorted, "I only drank that expired milk once, idiot!"_

_Sakura gave a dry laugh. "Once was bad enough. We had to stop at a town every twenty minutes. You delayed our mission for twice as long." She continued to brush her long locks, giving Sasuke discrete yet flirty (or she hoped anyway) glances every now and then. _

"_Not to mention the belching we had to hear all night. Such a peaceful sound to wake up too," Sasuke added. _

_Sakura agreed, shuddering at the memory._

_Although it was impossible to confirm, Sakura could tell Kaskashi was smiling, if the crinkles at the corner of his eyes were anything to go by. He paused on the mission report he was writing and said, "Now, now. Naruto was simply giving us a lesson on the challenging life a shinobi leads. Not everything will be rosy and convenient. Sometimes your teammates get ill. Sometimes you get ill…a ninja must be flexible." _

_Naruto, who looked pleased their sensei had come to his defense, stood up and said, "That's exactly what I meant to do! It was a test of endurance, and Sasuke, you failed."_

_Sasuke snorted and laid his head back on the sofa. Sakura couldn't help but to admire the way his dark bangs fell slightly over his eyes…the dim hotel lamps highlighted his jawline just right…if only he could see what was right in front of him…_

"What? He said no?"

_Sasuke?_

"Yeah, he did. The fool was killed after that incident though. No one refuses our boss."

_No…it can't be._

"Aye. We learned that the hard way!" There was a burst of bitter laughter from the group.

Sakura's eyes cracked open to the sound of the voices. One of them had sounded just like him…they were male…about fifty feet away…were they aware of her presence? The sun bore down through the tall trees, creating intricate patterns on the ground. She had slept away the entire morning; she cursed herself wasting precious hours. This left her even less time to find Naruto. She stood up as quietly as she could, masking her chakra. It wouldn't be a good idea to capture the attention of a group of unknown ninja. Her muscles ached in protest as she stretched—she had slept in a cramped, fetal position.

Sakura gathered her traveling bag. It was already packed and with one last stretch she was ready to go. She simply had to maneuver her way around the other ninja. _Easy enough, right? _

The kunoichi pushed herself in the air. She bounced lightly from branch to branch, taking care to avoid repeating last night's blunder. As she approached the other ninja, her heart quickened with anticipation. Soon enough, Sakura would be past them, and on her way to Naruto. She could hear the men more clearly now:

"So where should we go from here?"

"I have no interest getting involved that war. There's no profit in it."

"Our small village always gets caught in the crossfire of th—do you sense something?"

"No. You're the sensor, you should know. Is there someone out there?"

"Hm…"

Sakura's eyes widened. A sensor? They could detect any trace of chakra, no matter how skillfully concealed. She propelled herself as fast as she could, no longer caring about being silent. They already knew she was here; her only hope was to get away quickly enough.

A kunai flew past Sakura, landing on the branch she was going to land on. The weapon pierced the bark with a _thud_. She stopped and immediately backtracked, but it was too late—three other ninja surrounded her. Sasuke wasn't among them.

"Ah, so is this the one?" A large man with bloodshot eyes asked. He was holding three shuriken in his right hand, and a massive one that could easily cut a person in half in his left.

"Looks like it…" the other man answered. He had a smaller stature, but with his sly grin, radiated just as much confidence as his teammates.

"Good job, Micho," growled the third ninja. He appeared to be the leader, if his stance was any indication. He stood closest to Sakura, and was peering at her like a dog staring a slice of meat before he devoured it. She tried not to shiver. _Now is not the time for these thoughts. _

"I mean no harm. I'm traveling east, I don't want to fight," she said. She willed her voice not to quiver.

"Oh, we don't intend to fight you," the leader said.

Sakura relaxed and began to step back when she heard a knife fly past her, whizzing near her ear. She met the leader's eyes, who smirked and said, "Don't misunderstand me. I wouldn't consider robbing your dead body much of a fight."

His meaning only made itself clear to the kunoichi when the massive man fired his three shuriken at her. She managed to dodge all three, twisting her body in the air, and charged her fists with chakra. If she could land a hit on his chest, it would put him out of commission to fight. Maybe she could plan an escape with only two of the men to face.

The smaller ninja sprung towards her. He gripped a kunai, ready to strike. Sakura kept her fists clenched and stood her ground. He only had a single weapon; she could easily surprise him and take him down with her strength. He leapt in the air…his kunai aimed at her heart…her legs trembled with the effort to stay still.

"_Suiton: Mizu Kamkiri!"_

The ninja uttered the jutsu, his face contorted in a sneer, as water jets emerged from the icy surface. They sliced through boulders, trees and branches—including the one Sakura stood on. She fled the tree just before the water jet crashed into it. The deafening sound of the impact drowned out her cry of surprise. The frigid water split the tree into millions of smaller bark, showering the battle scene.

The kunoichi winced as a few pieces of bark sank into her skin—it cut into her arms and thighs, creating deep gashes. She collapsed on the ground. Blood riveted down her limbs, mingling with her perspiration. _So it was a decoy? _The kunai the ninja had been holding was only a distraction to prepare his real jutsu—a technique that only a high level shinobi could pull off.

"Kill her!" barked the leader.

Sakura barely had time to process the thought when the ninja threw shuriken, this time they were coated in ice. She stumbled back as one hurtled her way; it grazed her shirt. Sakura turned to gaze at the shuriken for a moment. It glinted innocently in the sunlight. Where they…? She unearthed one that landed near her feet and examined it—thanks to her medical training, it took only a second to determine they were coated in poison. Sakura shoved the shuriken in her holster and scanned the area for her enemies. They were no where to be seen, but she could faintly sense two of their chakra signatures. Where they planning an ambush? The leader was circling the kunoichi—he crouched low and began to form handseals, his fingers a pale blur. Sakura had to act now; she brought her fist down upon the ground, concentrating as much chakra into her knuckles as she could. It broke through the thin layer of frost and cast their surroundings into the air. Rocks and ice exploded and flew into the sky.

The leader's mouth dropped open in surprise and Sakura knew this was her chance. She bolted toward him, and with a yell of fury threw the poisoned shuriken at his throat. It sliced through his neck so cleanly, it made no difference whether it was toxic or not. The leader let out a pitiful gasp, blood pouring out his mouth. His body dropped like the puppets Sasori once controlled so skillfully.

Sakura looked at the dead shinobi, now sprawled on the crushed soil. She could sense the two other chakra signatures racing to her. Both ninja landed on either side of her, weapons raised; they took in the sight of their leader.

"So, you killed him? You little filth," the massive man snarled.

"Boss won't be happy about this at all. Tatu was one of his best men," the other ninja, Micho, said.

"Ah, well there is only one way to make it up to him. Bring back the mangled body of the one who took him out," he said. "Now we know your little secret about your strength. We won't be underestimating you. It looks like you're bleeding pretty bad anyway." His mouth formed a tooth decayed grin.

"We were gonna kill you quickly, since I don't like ruining such a pretty face. But now I think we'll have some fun torturing you," Micho said. He stepped slowly to Sakura, eyeing her body appreciatively.

Her pulse roared in her ears. She tried not to panic, but it was true, the scent of her own blood was becoming apparent with every passing second. She was injured and was in no condition to outrun these ninja. Her thoughts darted to Naruto, would have given anything to save her, to be in this position to protect her. Kakashi-sensei, who had seen potential in her that rivaled the great Tsunade. And Sasuke…

Sakura straightened her back and met both of the men's stares. She would face them head on. If she died, well at least she died _fighting. _

Micho pulled out three poisonous shuriken while his teammate began to form handseals. Sakura crouched low and summoned what little chakra she had left.

"Let's both att—" Micho stopped mid-sentence as his mouth dropped open in horror.

The other man looked at him curiously, then stared ahead and let out a strangled gasp.

"What the hell is that?!" he asked. They both stumbled back; they seemed to have forgotten about Sakura. Their alarmed eyes were transfixed on something right behind her. She realized this would be a good time to attack, but curiosity overcame her battle sense and she turned to look over her shoulder.

There was nothing.

Aside from some fractured trees and debris leftover from their fight, Sakura couldn't see what was so terrifying. She turned to look back at the men again, this time preparing to attack them, but they were already fleeing the scene. She could hear their distressed voices, now far away.

Sakura know she should have been relieved, there was no way she could have lasted much longer had she been forced to fight. But now, she was alone with a dead body and a phantom. Silence boomed in her ears as she knelt down to heal her more serious wounds on her legs. _There is no one here. I can't sense any chakra. _So why did it feel like someone was still in her presence? And what was the figure that scared two competent shinobi away? Could it have been…? There was only one way to find out. She formed a simple seal.

"Genjutsu kai," Sakura said to herself.

"That's right," a deep voice murmured. Sakura was frozen; she couldn't will herself to look once more over her shoulder. A Genjutsu user, male, and sounded eerily like Sasuke. The kunoichi was aware of who was behind her, and she would have preferred a carnivorous monster any day. _But he's dead. It's impossible._

Sakura raised herself up and whipped around to face none other than Uchiha Itachi. His black bangs framed his face; he was no longer wearing the Akatsuki uniform but a simple black shirt and pants. Leaning against a tree, he stood almost casually. Her physical injuries were forgotten as she stepped back in shock.

"Are you…Sasuke's brother?" Sakura asked. A thought flashed through her mind: could he be an illusion too?

He nodded. "It's impressive you managed to dispel my Genjutsu," he said. She avoided eye contact with him, but she could feel his eyes boring into her. "That's more than I can say for your opponents."

"How are you alive? Sasuke, he killed you in that fight."

He was silent for a few moments. Sakura tried not to shift nervously and kept forcing her gaze to meet anywhere but his eyes. It was nearly impossible to do—she gave a lot more credit to Gai for mastering this skill. She found it hard to focus on anything; her surroundings merged into a blur.

"Can you heal yourself?" he asked.

Sakura blinked at the abrupt change in topic, but answered, "A little, I have some chakra left. Why?"

"Because you're bleeding to death," he said. She looked down and gasped at her nails—they were a pale shade of blue. Her body was now caked in dried blood, and her wounds were still seeping at an alarming rate. Sakura felt drained and dizzy; she knew she had to heal herself immediately, but it was difficult to even more her hands.

"I…" she began to answer. The kunoichi fell onto her knees and tried to force the scarce amount of chakra she had left to her hands. The vague figure of Itachi knelt down and tilted her head to meet his crimson eyes. Despite her exhaustion, Sakura couldn't ignore the hatred that surged through her. He was the one person that had taken Sasuke's chance at a normal life. That had ultimately taken Sasuke from her and Naruto. No matter what the reason Kakashi had later told them, there was nothing that could excuse his past. As darkness overcame her senses, Sakura drifted into a deep sleep, forgetting the world for a few blissful hours.

* * *

Hinata slowly awoke to the stench of mold. She didn't expect the overwhelming pain that struck her like a kunai to the temple. Her body throbbed with the agony only untreated broken bones could produce. Perhaps as a reaction to the pain, nausea consumed her and she resisted the urge to be sick. Her eyes were clenched shut in the effort to ward off her misery.

Hinata tried to move a hand. Her wrists refused to budge; instead she felt another shot of pain. She realized with dismay her wrists were both broken. By the cold metal that encased them and the rock that pressed against her spine, she knew she was chained to a wall. Hinata forced open her eyes, but it made no difference—there wasn't a single source of light anywhere. She tried to activate her Byakugan, but she was depleted of any chakra. Her stomach ached with hunger; of course she didn't have the energy to summon even her bloodline.

_Where I am?_

The Hyuuga shifted through her memories. She could remember traveling with Neji…seeing his ebony hair flying through the wind…his horrified expression as his hand reached out for her own…

That was the last thing she could recall. Hinata racked her brain for more answers, _any _information that could save her. Panic began to set in and her throat closed up in terror. She was being held captive. A prisoner in some unknown and hostile setting. Would they kill her?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the faint sound of footsteps. They grew louder with every passing second. Hinata's fists clenched and she dug her back even further into the wall. She was utterly defenseless—whoever it was would have all the power and mercy. Her cell door squeaked open and light invaded the small area. Hinata's first impulse was to shut her eyes, out of the sudden brightness and fear, but she willed them to remain open.

The Hyuuga gave a small cry of surprise at the person that had entered the room. "Sa…Sasuke?"

Sasuke appeared as equally startled, though he recovered and resumed his usual stoic expression. "So you're the one Naruto cares for?"

Hinata sharply inhaled. This was the first time she had ever heard of Naruto returning her feelings, although she never expected to hear his answer during a circumstance like this. Her captors must have known because of her confession to Naruto in front of Pein. The one time she reveals her most personal secret, it's used against her.

"Pathetic," Sasuke said. His harsh tone echoed off the stone walls. Hinata was forced back the present. She stared back at his unforgiving, blood-red eyes. Dread overcame her as she wondered how many lives were endangered because of her daring confession.

**End of Chapter Two**

* * *

Let's see what happens in chapter three...which shall be up next Monday. :P Thank you for any suggestions!


	3. Locatum

Chapter Three is finally up! Sorry for the lateness of it. :) I don't own anything from Naruto (otherwise paying for college would be a lot easier).

**Chapter Three- Locatum**

* * *

"_Sakura, come inside to eat," her mother said from outside their house. She ducked her head back in and left the sliding door a crack open. _

"_Okay," Sakura said. She wiped a thin layer of sweat that had developed on her forehead and ran to pick up the scattered kunai. She had been practicing her aim for the past two hours; this time to impress Sasuke and show up Ino. The day before at the Academy had been humiliating: Sakura missed nearly every target during their monthly Genin skill-set exam. She was almost as bad as Naruto! _

_Naturally, Ino had made jokes the entire time: "Oi, Sakura! It's too bad you can't practice on your forehead. It's so huge there's no way you'd miss!" The other girls laughed harder with every failed attempt. Some of them even high-fived her ex-best friend. Iruka-sensei shook his head in disappointment and scribbled something down on his clipboard. After that, there was no way Sakura could pass the exam. She blamed it on exhaustion—but it's hard to aim with tears in your eyes. _

_Sasuke had watched the torturous performance with a smirk on his face. Even worse, after three consecutive missed shots, he turned to talk to Shikamaru and completely ignored her. He lost hope for her abilities—how could she ever improve to his level? She had always been studious, but tests that involved an audience made her shake with anxiety. The only two people who were still watching (and not with an amused smile on their face) was Naruto and Rock-Lee, who seemed to be having a competition of their own on who could cheer for Sakura the loudest. _

"_Sakurraaaaa you can do it!" Naruto yelled. His cheeks reddened with the strain. _

"_With hard work I know you can accomplish anything!" Rock-Lee roared. Tiny veins bulged on his neck. _

_Naruto shot an annoyed look at Rock-Lee and proceeded to bellow even more obnoxiously for her. Before Rock-Lee could retaliate, Iruka-sensei intervened and silenced both boys with a wave of his hand. But the damage was already done:_

"_Come on, Sakura. You don't want to disappoint your fan-boys," Ino said with a wink. The girls surrounding her burst into giggles. _

_The memory made her cringe. How long would it take before she could make eye-contact with Sasuke and not think of that mess of an exam? Sakura wondered that for the sixth time that day as she sat down to eat with her parents. Her mother's blonde hair appeared platinum under the glow of the kitchen light. Her father finished setting the table and he dished out noodles on everyone's plates. There were a few moments of silence, interrupted by the sounds of chopsticks hitting the porcelain plates and the howl of the wind outside. _

"_So, how did you do on your exam?" her father asked. He set down his chopsticks and gazed at his daughter with an expectant expression—he knew she did well. _

"_I don't want to talk about it," Sakura said. She stared at the ramen noodles as though they were a fascinating artifact. _

"_Well, I'm sure you did fine. You always excel on the written tests," her mother said. _

"_Ah, she's just being modest," her father added with a grin. _

"_I said I don't want to talk about it," Sakura snapped. She tossed her chopsticks on her plate and stood up to place her dishes in the sink. _

"_But, we just wanted to kn—"her father began. _

"_What does it matter, anyway?" _

"_As your parents we care," her mother said with a firm edge to her voice. "We were always conflicted about your decision to become a kunoichi. If the academy is stressing you out, perhaps it's time you considered other goals. You've always been interested in books. Maybe you can study ancient scrolls."_

"_Now that sounds like a good idea," her father said thoughtfully. He leaned back and sighed. "I hear what other fathers do. They push their kids to become ninja at a young age. I'm talking three or four years old! All for the sake of their clan or their bloodline or whatever nonsense. We've always wanted to give you a chance to make your own decisions. You don't have to go down this road." _

"_But I want to," Sakura said. She crossed her arms and stared ahead stubbornly. _

"_You've never given us a real reason. Why?" her mother asked. "Why choose a life where you put yourself in dangerous situations every day?" _

"_Because of—" Sakura began, but stopped. Her first instinct was to say Sasuke. But how true was it? How would her parents react that she was doing all of this for a boy? _

_It had always been for him. It had always been for…_

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura murmured. She turned and wrapped her arm around the fluffy pillow. The mattress hugged her back perfectly. For once, every muscle felt relaxed and refreshed. Through her half-opened eyelids, she could see sunlight shining through the room. Since when had the division used beds anyway? Was this something new…?

Sakura shot up. Her heart thudded as she stared around the room in a wild daze. The memory of the conversation with Neji flooded her mind—and then that gruesome fight. The last thing she could recall was her bloody body collapsing on the ground. The agonizing loss consciousness to exhaustion and blood loss.

Sakura glanced down at her wounds; they were bandaged carefully and she felt only a little pain. Had Itachi really saved her? Maybe it was someone that looked _a lot _like him. Hopefully. Anxiety crept down her spine as she took in the room; it was minimalistic and neat. A drawer was placed in front of the bed, the walls were an egg white and futon floors were a comforting shade of beige—they reminded her of home. Near the drawer was the door to another room, probably the bathroom. To her right were large windows that bathed the room in the morning sunshine. A small garden that grew tomatoes and cabbage blew breezily outside. There was no way Sasuke's brother would own a place like _this. _Not from the stories she'd heard.

Sakura ran a hand through her already frazzled hair. After a few moments of indecision, she began to crawl out of the bed to try to find who ever mended her gashes. A proper thank you was certainly in order. Sakura had one foot on the floor when the door opened.

Itachi glided in the room carrying a tray of food in one hand and a bottle of a clear liquid in another. Sakura sat frozen as she stared fixedly at the wall above him. Had the rumors been false? She with Naruto and the rest of her team when Zetsu confirmed Sasuke had defeated his brother.

Itachi stood still and studied Sakura for a moment. She could sense his eyes roaming over her injured leg, which still extended outside the bed.

"I bandaged your wounds. You were bleeding heavily by the time the Genjustu ended. Are you able to stand?" he asked. He voice was just as professional and detached as the last time Sakura had seen him—or a fake clone of him anyway. She tried not to let her fear show and moved her legs off the bed to stand. They trembled with lack of food and her stomach gave an angry growl of hunger.

"I feel a lot better. Thank you," Sakura said. She covered up her stomach as it made another loud demand for food.

Itachi nodded and said, "I'm assuming you're hungry." He had clearly heard her body's cries for something to eat, but was doing a good job of pretending not to notice. He handed her the tray of food, Sakura took it gingerly but didn't eat. The meal smelt delicious to her starved stomach—rice balls, vegetables and eggs coated in a warm sauce. The sheer amount of it all overwhelmed her. After two days without food and rations before that, her stomach wasn't accustomed to this kind of flavor anymore.

Sakura took her chopsticks and timidly bit into a small amount of rice. The temptation to eat as much food as possible was almost too much to resist, but she knew that gorging herself could lead to even more stomach pain. The chance that the food was poisoned was small, but it occurred to her halfway through her rice. _If he wanted me dead he would have done it long ago. _

Itachi had watched her for a moment, and walked over to his drawer and pulled out some files. He studied them intently while Sakura shoved as much food as humanly possible looking like a complete savage. She gave up on eating slowly after a few mouth-watering bites of the rice. After a few minutes, she could no longer feel the dizziness that hunger brought, and figured this was as good as any time to get some information. She only had Naruto's account that Itachi wasn't the evil, insane murderer she had been raised to think since she was eight. He and Kakashi-sensei had told her the real story because she was just as much of a comrade to Sasuke as they were; but they made her sworn to secrecy until the details behind the Uchiha massacre could be confirmed. It took her a few moments to gather enough courage to speak.

"You never answered my question," Sakura said. "I mean…how can I be sure you're not an illusion? Your name was crossed off the bingo book list. You're officially labeled as deceased in all the records."

Itachi gripped the files he was holding and was silent for a moment. From the years she spent with Sasuke, Sakura could see hints of similar body language. In this case, Itachi's jaw was tense and he appeared lost in his own thoughts. Sasuke always had the same expression when he was making a decision on how much information to disclose.

"The fight with my brother was partly Genjustu. For once, we fought as equals and I knew he would be able to defend himself from whatever threats may come his way. I arranged for the battle to end his favor—I die, he lives," Itachi said.

"But you didn't die," Sakura said. She grew more confused by the moment and shifted on her feet. A shot of pain flew down her leg, but she ignored it.

"No. Because what Sasuke saw was an illusion of my death. He witnessed my collapse and the disappearance of my chakra. Satisfied he had finally avenged his family, but weakened, he fell unconscious shortly afterwards. My brother had been under the spell of a complex Genjutsu—I fled the scene just moments before."

"So you faked your death? Why? I fought Sasuke recently, and he wished more than anything that you were still alive. He knows the truth!" Sakura said. She may had imagined Itachi as an evil rogue nin, but she never thought of him as a coward.

"And who else knows this truth?" Itachi asked sharply.

"Just our team…the rest of Konoha doesn't know. But they will soo—"

"No, they won't. That was a highly classified S-rank mission, you and the others need to keep it that way. I'm aware that Sasuke knows about the real reason behind the massacre. I have nothing more to say to him—it's impossible to change his mind," Itachi murmured.

Sakura shook her head in frustration. This was unacceptable. "Sasuke _needs_ you more than ever. If you were the good brother Naruto told me so much about, you would go and convince him not continue with his crazy mission to destroy Konoha."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "It's no concern of yours how I conduct business with my broth—"

"_Business?_ He's probably torn with guilt over your death and he's tried to kill both Naruto and me. We've put our lives on the line to try to rescue him from himself. And I now I found you here hiding out…" Sakura drifted off when she saw Itachi's glare. It unnerved her how intense his eyes were and took a tiny step back.

"Although it may come as a shock to you,' Itachi's voice dripped with irony, "I know Sasuke better than anyone. No matter what I do from this point on, it wouldn't make a difference. I pushed him down the road to becoming a criminal. I remain alive to watch over him, but I will no longer interfere with his life."

"If you wanted to keep your survival a secret, why did you save me then?" Sakura asked. "I could easily find Sasuke and tell him you're alive." The threat hung in the air for a few moments.

Itachi raised and eyebrow and said, "I understand you and Naruto-kun are trying to convince my brother to rejoin Konoha. Out of appreciation and loyalty to my village, I rescued you. However," he took a step and within an instant he was in front of Sakura, "don't mistake my gratitude for weakness. If you attempt to tell Sasuke about my whereabouts, I'll know and you'll be stopped by force."

Sakura took another step back. It took all her willpower to not to flinch at his speed. "And how will you know?" she asked.

"I have my ways," Itachi said.

Sakura would have assumed the vague answer was a bluff, but knowing Itachi, he probably _did _have some kind of method. She clenched her fists and seethed at the thought of Sasuke never getting his only wish. He and Naruto would kill each other in battle; she could loose them both. Never to see Naruto's happy-go-lucky grin or hear Sasuke's soft chuckle again. The mere image of it—both of their bodies dead and bloody and broken—made her light-headed with fear.

"Fine, maybe you're right. You put your brother through enough grief when you were alive," she said. As soon as the words left her lips, Sakura immediately regretted it. This was someone who killed his own _clan_, regardless of the reason behind it.

Itachi's eyes widened for a millisecond, and then narrowed into threatening slits. His eyes bled into the Sharingan. Sakura let out a little gasp and assumed a fighting stance. Itachi on the other hand, seemed to think better and retreated back a couple of paces. "Since you're well enough to make remarks about my personal decisions, you can leave to continue on your mission. Take this rubbing alcohol to disinfect any opened wounds," he said, gesturing to the clear bottle of liquid on the drawer.

"But I…"

Itachi had already turned to leave and interrupted Sakura with a glare over his shoulder. "Remember our deal. Keep the secret behind the massacre between your team. And do not tell my brother," Itachi said. He left the room a second later. Sakura fumed and began to gather her bag to depart, shoving the alcohol in one of the pockets. _I don't remember making any deal. _

Still, he had saved her. Itachi certainly had no obligation to take care of her wounds or even care that she was Sasuke's teammate. She gave credit where credit was due—but that didn't make his actions any easier to understand. Sakura glanced at the empty doorway; she wanted to ask _why_ he had sacrificed his family for such a cause. Had it been worth it? What about the guilt? She wouldn't have been able to live with herself. Of course, the only reason Itachi gave for his survival was to watch over Sasuke. No personal goals…

If Sakura had been in his situation, she wouldn't have gone through with it.

She slid open the door and stepped outside. The air was crisp and the sunlight made the dewy grass glitter. Based on the position of the sun, it was noon now. That left her about seven hours to travel to Naruto before dusk. Even with this minor delay, she could still reach him in time.

Sakura took one last look at the cabin. It was unassuming and peaceful. Perhaps, had the massacre hadn't occurred, she would have learned more about Itachi. Maybe even grew to admire him as Sasuke did. The kunoichi shook her head. There was no use in wondering about what ifs. She had a mission to complete.

* * *

The full moon guided her path as Sakura trudged through the snowy forest. She squinted at the well worn map and smiled. Her fingernails had turned a lovely shade of blue and her muscles shook with every step, but she was close. Another half and hour later, she saw the highest point of the cliff as the map instructed. Sakura directed chakra to warm and strengthen her legs as she climbed. The wind grew stronger and bit into her skin, making her eyes water.

Sakura lost track of time, but she found herself overlooking the rest of the land. She thanked every god out there for the full moon, because without it she wouldn't have spotted the island that was shaped suspiciously like a turtle…

"_Sakura?"_

The male voice Sakura could recognize no matter where she was rang out into the wind. She slowly turned and gaped at the sight in front of her.

Naruto was standing at the bottom of the cliff and staring at Sakura in equal surprise. He looked considerably warmer; he had a wool cape draped over him and wore snug boots.

"Naruto…what are you doing here?"

"I was gonna ask you the same question," he said. "But I'm happy to have a friend here!"

"I've been looking for you," Sakura said. She gave a great leap and flew down onto the ground, landing lightly. Her legs protested the fall, but going down was certainly easier than climbing up. She wasted no time explaining, "Hinata, she's been kidnapped by Akatsuki. I think they're going to use her to lure you in. Neji-san left our division to look for her, but we have to help him or else I'm afraid they'll kill him and Hinata wi—"

"Sakura. It's okay, I know."

The kunoichi's jaw dropped. "You do? How? And I thought you were supposed to be hidden on some island!"

"I heard one of the ninja guarding us whispering about it. They didn't tell me anything. I had no idea you guys were out there fighting for Killer-Bee and me. We don't want anyone to die for us. Enough people have already done that…" Naruto said. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I have to fight my own battles."

Sakura nodded. "So how did you end up here?"

"I escaped. Killer-Bee and I combined our powers to break the protective barrier guarding us. It was designed to keep us in but they underestimated the strength our tailed beasts give!" Naruto said triumphantly.

"Well then, what's your plan?"

Naruto grinned. "I'm gonna rescue Hinata of course. And take down Akatsuki while I'm at it! Killer-Bee would help, but we ran into Tsunade and the Raikage along the way. They tried to stop us from leaving, but Killer-Bee held them off long enough for me to escape. I just hope he's okay…" Naruto said.

Sakura knew he felt guilty. Naruto would never leave a comrade to face an opponent alone unless there was no other choice. Still, she was relieved he saved her the trouble of venturing out on an unknown island to find him.

"We need to meet Neji. He said he would wait for us for three days, and then he would try to fight the enemy on his own," Sakura said.

"Heh, I won't let him fight alone. We're gonna bust in Akatsuki's headquarters, ready to kick some ass, and leave with Hinata by our side! I'll have to find a way to let Killer-Bee know if he manages to get away. So, Sakura-chan, you ready?" Naruto asked. He drew his cape together and adjusted his headband with a proud smile.

"Yeah, but first we should rest. I know, I know, but Neji will be waiting tomorrow for us in the morning," Sakura said, stopping Naruto's protest. "It's important we tackle this as healthy and fully charged as we possibly can. It will only help our chances."

Naruto was silent for a moment and considered this. He was already fidgeting with the urge to ignore her advice and go anyway. He sighed and said, "Fine, one night. But we're up before dawn and moving by sunrise, okay?"

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Let's find some shelter. I'm _freezing_." She clutched her own vest close to her, but it wasn't doing much good.

"You can have my cape! You're starting to look like that blueberry I ate this morning. Here," Naruto tore off his own outer garment and laid it upon Sakura's shivering shoulders. She was too frigid to protest. They set off to find a place suitable for protection and sleep. The wind seemed to grow more violent with every passing moment. Branches and hail flew by; the young shinobi had to duck their heads for protection.

"By the way, how did your trip over here go? I know the alliance is at least a few hours away…and are those bandages you're covered in?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, these?" Sakura gave a nervous laugh and gestured as casually as she could to her arms and legs. It didn't help at the very moment, one of the bandages unraveled in the wind, revealing a particularly nasty gash. Naruto's widened in alarm. She covered it hastily and said, "I ran into some trouble. But I made it here okay, it's nothing to worry about."

Sakura wasn't sure what kept her from mentioning Itachi. She only knew that breaking a promise to him probably wasn't a good idea. But there was another reason, no matter how she tried to deny it, that she was thankful for his help and would honor his decision.

* * *

"_Don't struggle, you foolish girl."_

Hinata shook her head and dug her feet into the ground. Her broken wrists screamed with protest and she nearly passed out from the pain. She no longer felt nausea—that would mean food would have to be in her stomach. Time seemed to only exist in increments. The agony of consciousness and the blissfulness of sleep. Shortly after she spoke to Sasuke, Hinata had passed out again. Or perhaps he knocked her out with his Sharingan. She didn't know or care.

The Zetsu dragged Hinata along the stony hallway. The smell of mold and blood became stronger with each passing step. She struggled in entire way, but with her broken wrists and weakened state, it was futile. They soon reached a wooden door and the Zetsu pushed it open. A hooded figure sat behind a desk. The room was as dark and damp as the hallway, only lit by a lone candle. Hinata was pushed into the room and she heard the door slam shut behind her. The _click_ of the door locking sealed her fate.

Her legs trembled and it was an enormous effort to stand. Her pride kept her from collapsing.

The figure stood up and slowly walked towards her. Every step was deliberate and controlled. Hinata stood her ground and took haggard breaths. If this person attacked her in such a vulnerable state, it would be a coward's move.

"Hyuuga Hinata. I've heard much about you. We may have met before, long ago." The voice was distinctly male, but Hinata couldn't recognize it.

Her uncertainty must have shown on her face. "Oh, you don't remember me? Perhaps if I reveal myself..." The man lowered his black hood and stepped into the dim light. Hinata stepped back.

It was Kabuto. Orochimaru's assistant from long ago during the Chuunin exams. He looked more like his master than ever, with snake-like markings on his face and fangs for teeth. One bite and he could kill her. Hinata swallowed her fear and said, "I know you."

"Good. Then we don't have to waste time with pointless introductions. I have a bargain to make with you. One you would be…unwise to refuse. My master, Orochimaru-sama, always wanted to gain all knowledge of the shinobi world. It's a fine goal and he died in vain, thanks to a certain Uchiha," Kabuto's voice tightened. "I will continue on his quest to have control of all powerful bloodlines. If you aid me in donating your Bya—"

"I will not," Hinata said.

"You didn't let me finish. If you refuse, then Naruto will die. He is on his way to you as we speak, along with your dear cousin, Neji. We have an entire army ready to ambush and attack them—like we did to your own a couple of days ago. If you give up your eyes to me, they will both live," Kabuto said.

Hinata was silent. She wondered why Kabuto even needed her permission to take them. He could have easily yanked out her eyeballs anytime…

Kabuto sensed her confusion. "Ah, in order to examine your bloodline, you must willingly activate your Byakugan. It would be of no use to me if you didn't. So Hinata, the choice is yours. What do you decide?"

She wiped her face with her mangled wrist and looked up at her captor. "Take my eyes."

She felt nothing but guilt over betraying her clan's greatest secret. But this cruel man had used the only two people in the world who could have forced her to give in.

Kabuto gave her a sick grin and his fangs glinted in the light. "Good. We will begin the extraction immediately." A second later, the door burst open and Zetsu barged in. He grabbed Hinata roughly and jabbed a finger onto her neck's pressure point. The pain radiated through her skull and her world fell into darkness once more.

**End Chapter **

* * *

****I will have the next chapter up as soon as possible. Thanks for any suggestions!


	4. Veritas

I don't own any content from Naruto. :)

**Chapter Four- Veritas **

* * *

"So, where are we supposed to find Neji?" Naruto asked. He clasped on his cape and brushed the frost off of his legs. He stepped towards her, twigs and leaves crunching under his boots.

"He said he would be by the Heiwa shrine. It's a little south of we're we are now," Sakura said. She rechecked the map to plan the closest possible route to reach the Hyuuga. They had about five hours to travel over a hundred miles—it would be difficult. Breaking into Akatsuki's headquarters would be even more of a challenge. Sakura tried not to think about for the time being. _One thing at a time. _

"Good, I can't stand any more of this cold! It sucks we couldn't even light a fire to warm us," Naruto said.

"I know, but we can't risk being seen, the smoke would be a dead giveaway. You're the number one target right now!"

Naruto frowned and look away. "Killer-Bee is too…"

Sakura sighed and tried not to give her friend a pitiful look. It would only make him more depressed. She felt a twinge of guilt for treating him so unkindly when they were at the academy; all this time he had to deal with a _demon_ forced inside his body, as well as the hatred the rest of the village directed at him.

"Are you ready?" Sakura asked. She winced at a pulled muscle on her shoulder blade. They had slept huddled together underneath a tree. The wind was fierce and the pine didn't provide them much protection. The fact that Naruto didn't make some corny hit-on for cuddling with Sakura for body heat only showed how miserable their night was.

"Yeah, let's go!" Naruto said. He grinned and became his old self again.

The young ninja darted off onto the trees and sped as fast as they could. For a good hour or so, they were silent. Talking would only distract and delay them. Sakura peered over at Naruto every so often. His eyes were narrowed in determination. She hadn't seen him like this since the mission to rescue Gaara. One that he had failed in—is this how he looked when he set off to find Sasuke three years ago?

As one hour drifted into the next, the sky lightened and the scenery became greener. The sun rose over the horizon and warmed the crisp air. Sakura knew they were close to the Heiwa shrine. By this point, her legs ached with every push off a branch, but they couldn't afford to rest. She was grateful Naruto was a few feet away from her; her stomach was growling something fierce. Other than the measly breakfast of leftover rations and stale blueberries, they hadn't had anything to eat.

They traveled for another forty-five minutes, and soon they could see a small town in the distance. Sakura stopped and gave a sigh of relief. "We've found it. The shrine should be a mile south of town." They pushed off, even faster than before, towards the city's edge. There lay a small meadow surrounded by a crystal blue lake, with cherry blossom trees just beginning to bloom. A few feet away from the lake, was the Heiwa shrine. It took proud and ancient; its tall pillars a deep shade of crimson. Sakura smelt the faint scent of soil and flowers. They landed and ran towards the site. Naruto called out Neji's name and raced down the stone pathway that led to the entrance. Sakura followed closely behind him. Her heart hammered—what if Neji had already left? It must have been torture for him to willingly wait while he knew his cousin was in danger.

"Neji! Where the hell are you? We're here!" Naruto bellowed. He kept turning around, as though the Hyuuga might have been sneaking behind to surprise him.

Figuring there was little else to do, Sakura called out Neji's name as well. They had spoken quickly before going their separate ways, but she knew this was the place he wanted to meet.

"Tch. And to think I was about to leave," a deep voice that could only belong to the Hyuuga himself muttered. He trudged up the stone steps, carrying a bag of vegetables. Other than the worn expression that shadowed his eyes, he appeared to be healthy. He dropped the bag next to him and scrutinized Naruto with his piercing gaze.

"You know the whole story then?" Neji asked, glancing at Sakura.

"I do. And don't worry, we _will _save her. Hinata once put her life on the line for me, and I'll do anything to make sure it won't happen again," Naruto said.

"Hm. Then we must leave now. I've been formulating a plan for the past few hours, I can explain what we're going to do on the way," Neji said. Sakura was relieved to hear this; the Hyuuga was by far the best strategist among them. She hadn't even had time to think of what their attack angle would be once they reached the Akatsuki headquarters.

"Right, let's go!" Naruto said.

"We should bring some of the vegetables you brought," Sakura said. She began to pack in some of the smaller food items in her pack. "My rations and pills are running low. Are you well rested? How is your chakra supply?"

Neji nodded and said, "It's good. I knew you would arrive anytime, so I didn't use any jutsu. We can leave immediately." His words were short, and Sakura knew he was more than ready. Satisfied her teammates were healthy and energized, she assented with a smile.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" she asked.

All three ninja leapt into the air. Sakura tossed a cabbage she fished from her bag in Naruto's direction. He caught it and began to eat. Actually, more like began to tear into it like a starved bear, but they had little time to replenish themselves. She bit into a carrot and focused on traveling as fast as possible. The fresh vegetable tasted heavenly to her; she closed her eyes for a few seconds to relish the flavor.

"So, we've had experience from the last time we invaded their headquarters. It wasn't an easy task, and we were too late to save Gaara. Now, the stakes are higher and Akatsuki has more man power to spare," Neji began. Sakura swallowed the last bit of carrot. Her throat was dry and the vegetable felt like sandpaper.

"I figure whatever obstacle we run into, they will want us alive. At least Naruto anyway. We must be vigilant and constantly on guard," Neji said.

"We've grown a lot since we had to rescue Gaara. We will have Hinata with us by the end of tonight. Maybe even that Tobi guy will be captured or dead! Even if we couldn't save Gaara…he still made it out okay, right?" Naruto said.

Sakura knew Naruto was trying to be optimistic. But they couldn't ignore the facts; the _only _reason Gaara was alive was due to Chiyo's sacrifice. Unfortunately for Hinata, there was no one to harness that kind of power to revive the dead. Neji was thinking the same thing, if his frown was anything to go by.

"Is their base at the same location? How do we even know we're going in the right direction?" Naruto asked.

Eager for a change of subject, Sakura replied, "Ino gave me some classified information. Her father works in the intelligence gathering department. He was able to find out hints of where their base is. She told me where they _might _be, but it's only a rumor. We're not really certain."

"A rumor is better than nothing," Neji said.

Naruto and Sakura murmured their agreement and the trio lapsed into silence. Unlike when she traveled earlier, these hours seemed to fly by. The kunoichi dreaded this encounter—she knew Tobi had something planned for them. Doubts began to emerge in her mind…should they have tried to bring more teammates…what if one of them was captured? Kakashi would have been useful, even Gai. Their sensei would be furious at them for embarking on such a dangerous mission. And Tsunade, what would she think of her apprentice when she found out she put Naruto in such danger? With almost no preparation? The more Sakura thought about it, the more she realized that three teenagers, no matter how talented, were no match for an entire army.

She knew they couldn't turn back now. Neji and Naruto wouldn't stand for it. Plus, this was probably the only way to save Hinata. The alliance would have considered her a lost cause. A sacrifice willing to be made to prevent the Kyuubi from getting into the wrong hands.

"Are we nearly there?" Neji asked. His voice was tight and interrupted her thoughts.

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, if Ino's information is correct, we are an hour away." She didn't have to look at the map anymore—it was engrained in her memory at this point.

Neji's response was to push off the trees even faster. The air had grown warmer and sweat prickled down Sakura's neck. Naruto cast off his cape long ago. The sun began to decline in the sky; it must be late afternoon. Impatience radiated off the Hyuuga as he hurtled through the forest.

After a few minutes, the blue sky faded into lavender. The air grew foggy. Sakura sniffed and look around. Why was it so misty? She could see large boulders ahead in the distance. The kunoichi flung out her arm to stop Neji and Naruto. They immediately landed on the ground and the three huddled together.

"Do you see the boulders? That's the hideout," Sakura said. She pointed to the small note she had scribbled on it when Ino told her.

"Does that explain why it's so cloudy?" Naruto asked.

"It could be some kind of Genjustu," Sakura said.

"Well you're good at dispelling them, right? I've always struggled with it…so did ero-sennin," Naruto said. He looked away and frowned. "I wish he was here."

"You'll make Jiraiya proud," Sakura said. She placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to comfort him.

Meanwhile, Neji had been silent. He was peering at the boulders and leapt onto a branch. He jumped a few feet higher until he was at the very top of the pine tree. Even from ground, Sakura could see the spidery veins of his Byakugan bulging out of temples. Neji took a step and within seconds he was on the ground again. He cleared his throat and announced, "I can see more of those plant ninja. There are hundreds of them. They're waiting to ambush us the second our chakra signatures are detected. We need to come up with a method to infiltrate their base. If we're noticed, it's certain death for all of us."

Naruto nodded and Sakura asked quietly, "Could you see Hinata?"

The Neji's eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "But that doesn't mean she's not there. We have to try."

"True, do you have a plan?"

"Yes, I'll run it by you guys and see what you think. Now that I've seen their base and I can predict their move against us, I can tell you what our options ar—" Neji paused midsentence. There was a faint rusting sound. The Hyuuga whirled around and threw a kunai towards the mist. Sakura and Naruto flung out their own weapons seconds later.

"What the hell was that noise…?" Naruto whispered. They stood in silence, listening hard. A crow flew out of a nearby tree. Its leaves fell and scattered on the earthy ground.

"Oh," all three said. Sakura nearly wept with relief. _It was only a harmless animal. _

Neji took a deep breath and continued on, "So, this is our plan of attack. Now listen carefully…"

* * *

"Naruto, your elbow is jutting into my back."

"I don't have any room in here. I mean, this isn't exactly that five-star hotel we stayed at," the Uzumaki said.

Sakura scowled and rolled her eyes. She hoped Neji's idea would work. The consequences were too great if they failed. She sighed and wrinkled her nose—the urge to sneeze had just come on. Sakura bit her lip and focused on the large rock that was pressed against her ribs. Sneezing would most certainly give their location away.

"Do you think he was able to see her now? I mean, we're closer to the base," Naruto whispered.

Sakura pinched her nose and said, "If Hinata was here, Neji would know about it by now. But remember, we have to wait for his signal before we do anything."

"Yeah, it's too bad that signal means hundreds of plant freaks chasing him," Naruto muttered.

"It was the only way this would work. We had to create a decoy if we even wanted to have a chance at getting in. Tobi expected either Neji or you to arrive."

Naruto grunted in agreement and shifted slightly. They were both wedged between two boulders that were closest to the headquarters. Sakura had been able to map out the best way to sneak around. Their chakra was concealed and they had located the weakest point of the base. Sakura expected it to be brimming with Genjustu traps or _something _but they had easily made it to the entrance of the base.

Neji had jumped right into their range. He flared his chakra and made it out to look like he aimed to launch a foolish attack. Tobi would buy it; there was enough at stake for Neji to make such an amateur move. At this point, Naruto and Sakura had separated from the Hyuuga. He would send a smoke bomb into the air the second he was detected. For now, they had to merely wait.

Sakura wrung her hands together. Her palms were sweaty with anticipation. She was almost too scared to blink—what if she missed the signal? Naruto looked at her and said, "Don't worry, Neji is a tough guy. If anything, I feel bad for whoever is facing him!"

Sakura smiled weakly and rested her head against the cold rock. It was difficult to breathe in her position; she had to twist her hips every so often. A thought flashed through her mind—what about Sasuke? He would be here…he had fled with Tobi shortly after their last meeting. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut. Her childhood crush attempted to murder her. She realized how emotionally weak she was. And to think Sasuke's brother was alive and well; what would he think?

She a clammy hand grabbed her shoulder. "He sent the signal! Let's go!" Naruto said. Sakura opened her eyes and saw that smoke was indeed exploding into the air. The night sky darkened into gray. She could sense hundreds of other chakra signatures racing towards a target…

They both crawled near the boulder. Naruto climbed onto one and helped Sakura up. She charged her fists and took a couple of steps back.

"Ready?" Naruto said.

She nodded and darted towards the entrance. Her arm swung into the rock with force she never thought possible. The boulder shattered into millions of fragments with an ear-splitting _crack._ They raced into the base, their hands gripped with kunai. Sakura immediately prepared to dispel any Genjustu—but she sensed none.

The headquarters was just as she imagined, gloomy and only lit by scarce candles. The faint smell of mold filled her nostrils. As Sakura's eyes adjusted to the dim light, she strained her senses to spot any traps. Naruto was breathing heavily and scanned the area. A few feet ahead, there was a path that led to a cliff. The grays walls seemed to stretch ahead for miles.

"This was almost too easy," Sakura murmured.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Naruto said. He took a few steps ahead of her. His fingers gripped the shuriken.

"And you're most certainly correct."

Sakura gasped and turned around. Neither of them had said anything…where did the voice come from? Naruto immediately summoned several clones and prepared to create a Rasengan. He didn't bother masking his chakra any longer.

"Ah, didn't you learn your lesson the last time? That move doesn't work on me," the deep male voice said. It echoed off the cave walls. It was impossible to locate the source, Sakura realized with frustration. She glanced at the entrance, but it was blocked at though she had never broken into it. They were trapped. _Genjustu?_

The sound of footsteps radiated off the walls. As they grew louder with every step, the kunoichi's heart thudded faster. A figure emerged from the cliff. His orange mask glowed in the darkness.

_No. _

Tobi walked towards the frozen Konoha ninja. He rolled his shoulders back and cracked one knuckle at a time. "It seems like you're caught, Uzamaki Naruto."

* * *

Sasuke marched down the long, damp hallway. With the cave's convoluted pathways and random traps, it was not the place for any visitor. He kept his Sharingan activated on a constant basis—having the world after your head instill paranoid habits like that. Itachi knew what that was like. Sasuke grit his teeth together. A lone candle flickered down the hallway, but that was his only source of light.

Sasuke found relief in living in near total darkness. When he was outside, traveling with Taka, almost everything reminded him of Itachi. The bladed grass he would crouch low in when they played hide and seek. The cafes his brother would take him to if he begged long enough. The innocent smiles of children running by, their hands clutching their older siblings'…

These were small joys he would never experience again. Sasuke would give anything to simply erase his memories of the good times. They were parasites to his mind—always living off of his wretched existence. Revenge gave him life. It forced him to live in the moment and take control of the present. How could he ever live at peace when Itachi and his family suffered?

_That's why Konoha will fall. _

Sasuke bit hard into his lip in concentration. He had debated long and hard about taking his brother's eyes. Although the Uchiha already had the powerful Mangekyou Sharingan, he needed more if he wanted to be a real threat to Konoha. Tobi told him he had taken Itachi's body right after he fell unconscious. It was preserved in the lab, so the offer would always be there.

Sasuke decided he would talk to Tobi. He hated to ask for help, but the guy had enough experience to know what tools would be crucial in a war with Konoha. He turned to find the masked man. He would probably be in the main room with that creepy Kabuto. Sasuke kept a wary eye around Orochimaru's servant. _I should have killed him when he was weak. _

Within a few minutes, Sasuke had reached the largest component of the base. He spotted Tobi and stepped into the room when he paused. There were other chakra signatures—and they were familiar. Sasuke squinted and masked his own chakra. He knew both of those traces from anywhere….it was Naruto and Sakura.

He cursed and ducked behind one of the large boulders. Should he kill them now? Tobi needed Naruto, but Sakura would be useless to them. He could hear Naruto's obnoxious yell. Sasuke cocked his head and stood still. For now he would listen.

* * *

"Where is she?" Naruto shot at Tobi. His clones surrounded him and he was glowing in the Kyuubi's chakra. He had mastered the power of his tailed-beast. Despite the gravity of the situation, Sakura couldn't help but to admire how far her friend had advanced.

Tobi stayed silent and merely looked at Naruto, at those he was an interesting painting he was trying to study. A single kunai twirled in his hands.

"She's dead."

Naruto stepped back in shock. Sakura's throat felt like it was closing in. They had been too late—this is why Neji couldn't sense her chakra. Now the older Hyuuga would die as well…this had been a horrible mistake. Her legs shook with terror.

"You liar," Naruto roared and flew towards Tobi. Within a second they were clashing—their speed was incredible. Sakura could barely keep up with her eyes. Flashes of sparks and chakra lit up between the two ninja. Naruto's clones dived into the fierce dual with a Rasengan, but they flew through Tobi like a ghost. The masked man's mysterious jutsu enabled attacks to go through his body.

Naruto threw a punch aimed at Tobi's neck. He dodged it when inhumane reflexes and jumped back a few feet. Naruto was sent flying back as well. He landed roughly next to Sakura and gasped in ragged breaths. Blood cascaded down his head.

"She was a mere pawn to force you to show yourself. You have failed over and over again to save your friends. Instead, they suffer for you. You hid from us, like a coward, and her death was the price you had to pay," Tobi said. His voice lacked remorse and even a scrape of humanity.

Naruto flinched at his words and shook his head. "No…no…"

"And tomorrow, Sasuke will destroy your beloved home. Your best friend might as well be dead. You can't save him—so long as his brother is gone, no one can."

Sakura's cheeks were wet with tears. First Hinata and now Sasuke. From the small crevices of the cave walls, the plant ninja crawled out. They stared at Sakura and Naruto with an eagerness to kill. Their glassy eyes glinted in the light.

"But don't worry," Tobi continued, "You will not be alive to witness Konoha's destruction. Capture the boy, and kill the girl." The plant ninja shifted. Hundreds of them clung onto the walls.

Sakura thought wildly. An insane plan formed in her mind—she would have to act now.

"And if his brother is still lives? What would Sasuke do then?" she asked. Her voice quivered.

Tobi looked at Sakura for the first time and said, "Sasuke killed his brother in battle."

"No, Itachi is alive," she said.

"Impossible. I took the corpse myself. His eyes were as lifeless at the Hyuuga's." Naruto growled and started to move to attack again, but Sakura motioned to stop him.

"You're wrong. He survived the battle. And when Sasuke finds out, there will be no incentive to wage war with Konoha," she said. Naruto stared at Sakura, his eyebrow raised in confusion.

Tobi shook his head. "Do you take me for a fool? I ensured Itachi would die after the massacre. It was his plan to be killed by Sasuke in battle, but I took precautions incase he had seconds thoughts. I poisoned him with a lethal drug that would shut down his organs, one after another, over the course of several years. Uchiha Itachi is dead because I needed him to be. Now, we won't delay this any longer."

Sakura retreated back a couple of steps. Her hand clasped onto Naruto's. They would die fighting together, at the very least.

The air thickened. Sakura struggled to take a breath in but her lungs felt like they had been plunged under water. The pressure increased and she clutched her chest. The cave faded into a blur. Sakura could hear the sound of crows cawing and black feathers enveloping her and Naruto. They formed a tornado around the two ninja; the wind tossed her hair in disarray. She took in one last desperate breath for air before falling unconscious.

* * *

Sasuke could hardly breathe himself. He managed to keep his chakra concealed; no one would notice as he stumbled down the cave's hall. He shut his eyes and resisted the urge to be sick. So that scum had poisoned his brother. And what Sakura had claimed…was it true? She was desperate for time to stall, she could have blurted out anything. But out of nowhere, they had disappeared in a flock of crows. He could hear Tobi's furious voice echoing along the walls. The whole situation was so bizarre Sasuke couldn't wrap his mind around it. Could it have been connected? How would Sakura even know about Itachi's existence?

_He would have contacted me. He wouldn't let me live in misery over his death. _

Sasuke smashed his fist against the stone. It dented and cracked the wall. Blood trickled down his hand, but the he didn't notice. Tobi was first on his hit list. He would no longer be manipulated like a fool.

* * *

**End of Chapter Four **

****I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible. I know Itachi hasn't been seen in a while...but that may change. ;) Thanks for any suggestions!


	5. Concentus

I don't own anything from Naruto. :)

**Chapter Five- Concentus **

* * *

The faint sound of birds chirping and a wind-chime clinking together floated through Sakura's mind. She opened her eyes to the same bedroom she had awoken in two days ago. This time, however, her fear was stronger. Sakura sat up and tentatively looked around the room. Itachi leaned against the wall, reading a plain black book. The sunlight danced across the walls; a ray bounced against the simply necklace he wore.

He glanced at her, snapped the book shut, and said, "It seems like my plan worked flawlessly."

Sakura found herself at loss for words. Itachi leaned back against the wall and crossed him arms. "I knew the temptation not to reveal my existence would be too great. You would be pressed to give away this secret of mine when your life—or Sasuke's—was in danger. So I placed an illusion on you. If you told anyone, it would immediately activate and force you to relocate," he explained.

Sakura stared in shock. "But…what about Naruto? Where is he?"

"The jutsu sent me both you and Naruto-kun. He was unconscious, I left him near the alliance headquarters. He was found by a Konoha shinobi and is in their care," Itachi said.

Sakura swallowed and took a sharp intake of breath. Sasuke's brother had managed to predict she would blurt it out and save her life at the same time. She felt a mixture of gratefulness and guilt. "And Neji?" Sakura asked. She was almost too scared to know.

Itachi frowned and said, "That, I can't answer. The jutsu only teleports those in the immediate area."

The kunoichi brushed a hand through her air. So had Neji been captured? Was he dead? The memory of the battle began to creep into her mind. Tobi had said Hinata was dead…. Sakura hadn't known the Hyuuga that well, but they had grown up together as allies. Tears prickled into her eyes.

Sakura could feel Itachi's stare and tried not to sob, but it was too much. The horrific truth set in. Neji was most likely dead—Tobi had no use for him. The alliance lost two valuable comrades who would have given their life for Naruto. In a way, they already had. How many times had she cried in the past two days alone? Things hadn't been this bad since the Pein invasion. Now, there was no godly power to resurrect the dead.

Sakura leaned into her knees and cupped her moist cheeks into her hands. Tears fell freely and she didn't care one way or another what Itachi thought. He had been tactfully silent and said after a minute, "I'll let you have a moment alone." The Uchiha opened the screen door and slide out into the garden. His black pony-tail flew softly in the breeze. He knelt down and began to gather one of the tomatoes. It appeared ripe, but Itachi held it in his hand, not quite looking at it.

"_Itachi, how bad had your eyesight become?" _

Sakura remembered the question Kakashi asked the Uchiha. He responded with a rare look of surprise; he knew Kakashi had obtained the Mangekyou against all odds. Did Itachi still suffer from vision problems? But he had been reading a book…Sakura wiped her eyes and pulled her knees to her chest. She couldn't be concerned if he was dealing with deteriorating vision. Itachi had brought that upon himself. At least he was _alive _to use his eyes. That's more than she could say for Hinata or Neji. Sakura's throat felt heavy and she took a calming breath. She thought of what Tobi said. Sasuke still planned on destroying Konoha; only his brother could change his mind.

Sakura stood up and wiped her eyes. She slide open the door and stepped outside. The scent of soil and vegetables blended into the wind. Itachi stood up and turned to Sakura. He looked at her uncertainly, as though not quite sure how she would act.

Sakura took another step towards him and said, "Sasuke needs you. Tobi told me he's going to target the village. _Our _village. I know you don't think he would change, but you're the reason he left Konoha in the first place. The reason he trained with Orochimaru and risked his life. And now, the reason he wants to avenge his clan and kill every single villager. If he wouldn't listen to anyone else, me or Naruto or Kakashi-sensei," Sakura's voice broke, "it would be you he would change for."

Itachi sighed and closed his eyes. "There is no way of confirming that. I have only worsened his mentality every time we met. It's up to Naruto to influence him."

"And how do you expect Naruto to accomplish that? He's already tried many times to change Sasuke's mind. We all have!" Sakura said. She was frustrated beyond belief. Why would Itachi not take responsibility for his brother?

"Incase Sasuke was told the truth of the massacre, I have a strategy that would change his alliance with Akatsuki. Its last resort move, one that depends on Naruto," Itachi said.

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "So what's this strategy of yours?"

Itachi's smooth voice didn't miss a beat. "Contrary to what you may believe, I'm not obligated to tell you anything. You've been shown you cannot be trusted. I simply ask that you have faith in my ability to have an answer for the worst-case scenario."

_Yeah, because that worked out so well last time. _It took all her willpower not to roll her eyes. She tried a different tactic. "How about just being honest with your brother? Now that things are out in the open, you have no need to act like an assho—erm…bad guy," she said.

Itachi's eyes narrowed at her slip-up, but he ignored it and said, "My honesty would only infuriate him. Sasuke never will understand my reasoning behind choosing the village over the clan. He is a proud Uchiha. Arrogant and power-hungry."

"_You _made him that way. He was once a kind person. Someone that thought the world of his brother. He needs is a truthful answer from you. No more lies and deceit. He may not understand your decision….I'm not sure I do myself. But perhaps he can respect it and learn to live with it," Sakura said.

Itachi didn't reply right away. Actually, it looked like he was struggling to find a suitable answer. He bit the side of his lip and turned away.

Sakura knew this was her chance; his resolve was weakening. "I don't know what that last-resort plan was, but it must not be that great if you have it as the worst possible solution for Sasuke. Talking to him would be a better alternative. Naruto and I would help of course. We wouldn't let you do this alone," she said.

Itachi gazed at the setting sun, considering her suggestion. The clouds splashed the sky with radiant reds and oranges. It was a beautiful sunset; Sakura realized she hadn't had an opportunity to admire any kind of nature in weeks. When the goal is to survive another day, it's easy to forget to appreciate the everyday things in life.

"I've always tried to do everything on my own…" Itachi murmured. "Even now, it's difficult for me to trust in your idea. I will need a day to think it over."

Sakura smiled and opened her mouth to cheer but the Uchiha interrupted. "Don't assume that's a yes. The potential consequences and benefits of such a mission need to be thought out."

She nodded and resumed a serious expression. "Right, I understand." _Leave it to Itachi to call reuniting with your beloved brother a "mission with potential consequences."_

Itachi bent down to pick more tomatoes from the garden. His eyes were narrowed, examining the fruit with his hands. Sakura recalled her earlier thoughts about his condition, curiosity got the better of her. Besides, if he did join them to convince Sasuke, there would be fighting involved. As a medic, it was her job to know the health status of each team member.

With that in mind, Sakura began, "Erm…Itachi-san. From our last encounter, we learned that your vision was damaged due to overuse of your bloodline. I was just wondering—and I ask this purely out of medical interest—if your eyesight improved." She kept her focus on her nails.

Itachi paused from picking one of the tomatoes and raised himself slowly. He turned to her and said, "See for yourself."

Sakura examined the Uchiha's Sharingan for the first time, because of their height difference she had to tilt her neck to get a good look. She had always avoided eye contact out of habit and a lingering fear of Itachi. His eyes were the same shade of red as Sasuke's but they were missing the black tomoe markings that lined the iris. Instead they were a blank, depthless pool of…nothing. Sakura's mouth dropped open.

"Are you blind?" she asked.

"Nearly," Itachi whispered. He closed his eyes and reached down to gather the bag of tomatoes. "I have been able to manage well enough. My hearing, sense of touch and smell have compensated for the loss. I am still able to hold my own in combat and cast justu."

Sakura pursed her lips. She wasn't sure how to feel about this. Itachi certainly wouldn't want pity from her, he didn't need it anyway. He could still easily defeat most other shinobi in a fight—including herself. But there was no avoiding the fact that losing a crucial sense would greatly weaken anybody.

"I could try to heal it. Maybe figure out a way to reverse the damage," she offered.

Itachi gave a soft chuckle; it was so quiet she almost missed it. Sakura stepped back in surprise. This was the first time she'd ever heard him make any sign of emotion. Her cheeks flushed with annoyance.

"I mean, if your gifted, prodigal self can't manage it, I guess my lowly skills would be useless to you," Sakura said with a sarcastic edge to her voice. As a student of Tsunade, she wasn't incompetent.

"It's not that. There is only one way to bring light to the Mangekeyou Sharingan," Itachi said.

"And?"

"And it's an option I would never consider." His tone left no room for debate. Sakura didn't even bother questioning about the method, it was probably some crazy clan tradition. From what she heard of the Uchiha clan, they weren't exactly innocent. Still, did they _all _deserve to die that fateful night? What about the children? These were the questions she was dying to ask Itachi. Sasuke would be even more desperate for such answers.

Sakura was so lost in thought she had missed Itachi's words. She blinked and said, "Uh, sorry I wasn't listening. Could you repeat that?"

"I said, you're welcome to stay here for the night while I consider your idea," Itachi replied. He began to walk back to the small house. "There is no nearby town in this area, so it would be in your best interest."

Sakura realized this would be the first time she ever voluntarily slept the night here. The last two times she was unconscious and knocked out by Genjustu. The idea of Itachi being a loyal Konoha shinobi all this time was still foreign to her. She wasn't certain if he was friendly, like Iruka or the Third Hokage, but he was in their side. Plus, sleeping out in the woods just plain sucked, as her and Naruto could testify. _It still doesn't make this any less awkward. _Sakura pushed the thought out of her mind and said, "That would be…nice, thank you."

Itachi nodded and slid open the screen door. If he felt uncomfortable, he wasn't letting on. Sakura followed him before taking one last look at the yard. By now, it was dusk and the sun had set. She noticed a small table and chair placed on the porch, which was surrounded by plants and glowing lanterns that hung above.

They entered the bedroom together and Itachi led her through the house into the kitchen. It was small but surprisingly cozy, with wooden counter space and a table that could fit two. The whole room was simple but neat—it described Itachi pretty well, now that she had begun to know him.

"You have a lovely place," Sakura said. She didn't know what else to say; this was the first time they didn't need to immediately talk about Sasuke or Konoha or the war. While small talk wasn't something she normally struggled in, her only memories of Itachi was when she was a little girl. The alone triggered painful flashbacks of being bullied for her forehead or shyness.

"Thank you," Itachi said. He placed the bag of tomatoes on the counter and took them out one at a time. He drew a knife and swiftly cut the tomatoes into small slices. Itachi made something as simple as preparing food looked effortless. His hands moved in such a smooth manner Sakura found it hard to believe he even suffered from vision problems.

"I'm cooking soba noodles, are you hungry?" Itachi asked. He set a pot on the stove and poured some broth in to boil.

"That sounds delicious," Sakura said and sat at the table. Her stomach growled; she had slept late into the afternoon. For the past few days, she had only blueberries and rations for nutrients, and it was taking a toll on her body. Sakura's nails were brittle and her skin had turned a ghostly shade of pale. Not too mention her once soft locks were in a sad state of knots and disarray. "Um…do you need any help?"

Itachi shook his head and busied himself with dropping the noodles into the pan. Smoke rose from the pot and the aroma of a home cooked dinner made Sakura think of her parents. She missed them desperately; after witnessing the horrors of war, she vowed to never take her mother and father for granted again.

A few minutes later, the noodles were cooking and Itachi set the spoon down. He leaned back against the counter and glanced at Sakura. She fiddled with her hands and averted her eyes. When Itachi had been stirring the noodles, Sakura was struck at much he resembled his brother. From her angle, they had the same strong jaw lines. Itachi's dark bangs framed his face just like Sasuke's. She could tell the elder Uchiha had kept himself fit despite a retirement from fighting; his arm muscles were clearly defined as he lifted the pot to pour the remaining soba into the colander.

_But I'm only checking his appearance out for medical purposes. _Sakura blinked and kept her eyes glued to her nails for the rest of the time Itachi spent preparing the meal. Once it was ready, he dished out the steaming noodles and poured green tea into two ceramic mugs. He placed the plates and mugs on the table and they sat down to eat. Sakura nervously fiddled with her chopsticks. She couldn't help but to feel the whole thing was a little awkward. Here she was, sitting with Itachi to share dinner at an intimate table.

Itachi, however, didn't seem to be phased by the novelty of the situation. He twirled the noodles around with his chopsticks and said, with his voice as collected as ever, "Many years ago, Sasuke told me about a pink haired girl in his class who consistently scored better than him on the exams. It infuriated him."

Sakura choked on the green tea she had been sipping. She turned away; coughing a watery beverage all over Itachi's food didn't seem like a good idea—good guy or not. Her cheeks were bright red as she recovered and asked in a timid voice, "…he thought of me as competition?"

Itachi, who had been eying Sakura with a mixture of amusement and concern, nodded and said, "He did. I had high expectation for both you and Naruto-kun."

Sakura looked away. It touched her that at least one other person had faith in her abilities. It always seemed like Kakashi would forget about her and focus on Naruto and Sasuke. Tsunade was the only other person who saw potential in her. She chewed her noodles and thought about this.

"I would see you sometimes, waiting for Sasuke after the academy ended for the day. You would be holding dango or some other sugary treat for him," Sakura said.

A ghost of a smile formed on Itachi's lips. He nodded and said, "Our father forbade any unhealthy foods. Sasuke would ask me to bring him something from the market so he could enjoy a dessert without facing disapproval. I myself am fond of sweets, so it wasn't a burden."

Sakura remembered how Sasuke would always refuse dango when their team would go out for a celebration dinner after a mission. "I guess he hated it after…what happened," she said. "He never wanted to eat it." She laced her fingers around the warm mug and sipped the tea, making sure to drink it extra carefully.

Itachi frowned and placed his chopsticks on the plate. "That's to be expected. He'll always associate me with that food. Perhaps that's why I always order dango," he said.

Sakura shrugged her shoulders, but she thought it was rather sad. All those years, one brother tried to escape his past while the other clung onto it. The whole thing could have been so easily avoided, if Itachi wasn't given that mission.

"What kind of stuff did you and Kisame do then? For all those years in Akatsuki? Naruto told me you were a spy," Sakura asked. She imagined it would have been nerve-wracking to be worrying about blowing your cover in front of your partner or having to participate in all the atrocities Akatsuki did.

"I was. The Third Hokage ordered me to keep an eye on the organization, and the best way to do that was to infiltrate it. By doing so, I could leak back information and prevent Madara from invading Konoha. As for what kind of missions Kisame and I did…" Itachi rested his chin on the palm of his hand, his eyes roamed around the kitchen. "I'll only say they made my work in ANBU look like child's play."

Sakura's grip on her chopsticks tightened. She knew the kind of stuff Kakashi had endured during his time in ANBU. He didn't talk much about it, but he out wasn't saving cats or tending gardens.

"Did you ever feel guilty about it?"

"A shinobi must put aside their personal feelings and morals for the sake of completing the mission. I would avoid killing my enemies if I could help it, which is why I favored Genjutsu, but sometimes I was left with little choice," Itachi said.

"Like with Gaara," Sakura pointed out.

"Yes," he agreed, lowering his eyes.

"I couldn't bring myself to do that. I would not let an ally die," Sakura said. She pushed aside her plate and crossed her arms. Her appetite had disappeared.

"Then you will never go far as a ninja. As I once told Naruto, there are times when one must make difficult decisions in life. Neither outcome is completely innocent, but there is always the option that saves more lives. That's the path I chose," Itachi said.

Sakura bit the side of her mouth. As she learned more about the world, it became a challenge to identify good and evil. Lines were blurred, boundaries crossed, and people from all sides suffered tragedies. Naruto vowed to bring peace to the shinobi world, but it seemed like an impossible dream.

"So you have no regrets?" Sakura asked. She couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice.

Itachi sighed and leaned back in his chair. The tear trough lines that ran along his face had deepened since she last saw him. Crickets outside chirped a steady rhythm; the fierce wind rattled the windows. "We all have regrets, Sakura."

* * *

"W-what are you doing?"

"Sasuke-san, you mustn't go near their quarters. I advi—"

The two guards were thrown back into the wall. Their spines slammed into the rock with a sickening _crack_ and they slumped down motionless. Dead or not, Sasuke could care less. He had limited time to spare and he had to flee before Madara found out anything was suspicious. As much as it enraged him, he knew he could not defeat Madara with Kabuto and Zetsu at his side. Sasuke looked forward to how satisfied he would feel after pummeling that filth into the ground. It would be a marvelous few minutes.

Sasuke was going to need to gain more power. He had a few stops to make, before his escape. He walked downhill into a slope. The pathway led deeper underground into the cave. There was even more limited light and Sasuke was forced to squint his eyes to see. His vision grew darker with every passing use of the Mangekeyou. To take or not to take Itachi's eyes became a constant inner debate. He swung open the metal door and walked into the lab. It was frigid and his skin prickled with goose bumps. The laboratory stored dead bodies and dissected parts. The florescent lights above flickered on and off. Rows of shelves housed jars that held human teeth, eyeballs, and hearts that had long stopped beating. Other than the hum of machines that kept the corpses fresh, it was silent. Sasuke moved along the tables and scanned each one. White sheets covered the bodies, but he knew Itachi's height and build and could eliminate a few on that category alone. He spotted one table towards the lack of the lab that had a label attached on the edge.

Sasuke frowned and inched towards the table. He leaned forward and read the smaller details on the label: Uchiha Itachi. Number 391674.

His hands shook and he stumbled back. The sheet was thin and under the erratic light he could see the vague outline of his dead brother. But should he….? Sakura's impassioned words flew through his mind. She had sounded so genuine—and his old teammate had always been a poor liar. Sasuke made up his mind, took a deep breath, and tore the sheet off.

It was Itachi. His pale face looked skeletal; the yellowed skin clung onto his cheekbones. His beloved brother's eyes had been torn out, leaving nothing but empty sockets. Sasuke gripped the table and fought the urge to be sick. His stomach lurched and he covered his mouth with a hand.

_I need to get out of here. _Sasuke took a step back when an icy hand shot out and grabbed his own. He cried out and tried to leap away but Itachi's hand seized his wrist. The younger Uchiha recalled their first encounter—his wrist had been broken. Sasuke gasped and jerked his arms towards him, but Itachi was too strong. He said, "Listen to me. If you have already visited my body, you know of my secret. This is a final warning—do not destroy Konoha. Do not seek out revenge." His hallow eyes bore into Sasuke's own. As suddenly as he had come alive, Itachi collapsed into his brother's shoulders. The grip on his wrists loosened. Sasuke let Itachi's corpse fall onto the table. He pivoted on his heel dashed across the lab, knocking over a metal tray of syringes along the way. Within seconds he darted up the hall, running as fast as he could from the nightmare.

"_That coward." _Sasuke growled and dug his fingernails into his palms. No one cared about his well being. He tried to become a better person—but he was driven into madness and manipulated and lied to over and over again. Everyone had ultimately betrayed him—Konoha for ordering his family's slaughter, Tobi for his attempt at Itachi's murder, and now his brother for defending that pathetic village. But what if that had that been Genjustu? Sasuke stopped midway and tried to think calmly. The terror had interfered with his thoughts. Had Sakura mentioned something about an illusion? He racked his brain to remember…

Had he not heard Sakura's statement, Sasuke would have assumed Itachi had used some jutsu on his corpse to relay that message. It was certainly possible; Orochimaru had tested out a similar technique on his less fortunate prisoners. He paced the hallway, tearing his hands through his hair. The mystery of it all was agonizing…if that was an illusion, Sasuke should have been able to see through it. Or at the very least, Madara. He clenched his eyes shut to ward off the pain of his throbbing skull. He would find Sakura and interrogate her for answers. Dead body or not, the possibility of his brother being alive was too alluring for him to resist. Maybe one would call it denial, but Sasuke didn't advance as far as he did by giving up on his goals.

* * *

For Sakura, last night had been a sleepless one. Perhaps it was because she had slept in so late the previous day, or maybe simply the fact that she was in Itachi's house, separated from the comfort of friends and family. There was a sofa in the living room, so she volunteered to rest there. The fact that Sakura had spent the night in his bed still made her uncomfortable; but she appreciated his kindness. He could have just dumped her unconscious self anywhere.

Her thoughts kept bringing her back to the previous night at dinner. Itachi had proven himself to be subdued, enigmatic, and…kind. He reminded her of the old Sasuke. Sakura supposed the freedom of not acting like an S-class missing nin who murdered his family in cold blood could liberate anyone. Itachi was still quiet and kept many of his thoughts to himself. There are some parts of a personality never change, or experiences in life that would alter one's behavior forever. _Being forced to eliminate your own clan could certainly do that. _

Sakura cracked open an eye and peeked out the window. The stars were fading into indigo sky as the sun rose. Itachi told her he would have an answer in the morning. The possibility of Sasuke having a happy ending…and maybe even returning to Konoha and his old team excited her to the point of no sleep. She knew the only way it was going to work was if Itachi convinced his brother. Itachi hadn't seen how Sasuke acted at Kage Summit. How he left Karin to die and or aimed Chidori laden hand at Sakura. She sat up and folded the soft quilt. Sakura knew the elder Uchiha was too clever to fall for bribery and cheap persuasion techniques, but a little breakfast never hurt anyone. Plus, she felt compelled to thank him for his hospitality anyway.

Sakura tip-toed out to the kitchen and opened the fridge. It contained mostly vegetables and fruits grown from the garden. She looked around and spotted a carton of eggs. The kunoichi grabbed the eggs, tomatoes, onions, and a chunk of cheddar cheese. She found a pan in the bottom cabinet and set it on the stove. Sakura wasn't the best cook, but she could make a mean omelet as approved by Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, and Sai. Even Tsunade requested it from time to time on days she faced a stubborn hangover. While she cooked the breakfast, Sakura hummed a melody her mother used to sing and kept an eye on the clock hung over the stove, as well as the window that overlooked the garden. The sun's rays peaked over the horizon.

Just as she had flipped two warm, gooey omelets onto plates, Itachi walked into the kitchen. His hair was perfectly groomed and he wore his usual blank shirt and pants. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Well, I wasn't expecting this."

Sakura gave a nervous laugh and brushed a strand of hair passed her eye. She was suddenly aware of how messy her hair must be. She tossed and turned in her sleep, so it always looked like she strolled through a tornado by the time she woke. Sakura grabbed the two plates and set them onto the table. "I thought it would be nice, after all you've done for me. You saved my life—as well as Naruto's."

Itachi sat down and said, "thank you. Invading Akatsuki like that, however, was a foolish idea. I was surprised there were no critical injuries. Both you and Naruto must learn to plan more accordingly and bring back-up."

Sakura took a small bite of her omelet. "We had little time. Neji had come up with a strategy at the last minute. And since the alliance didn't want to risk losing Naruto, we would have lost our friend no matter what. We attacked them because they had kidnapped a friend of ours. Hinata was very important to us, especially Naruto." Her throat began to constrict and she tried to swallow the last of the food.

Itachi nodded. "Do you know if she is still alive?"

Sakura looked away and wiped her eyes. "She's not."

"I remember hearing her name back when I lived in Konoha. She was the Hyuuga heiress, correct?" Itachi asked.

Sakura titled her in agreement. "Yes, but it doesn't matter anymore. Both her and Neji are gone."

"I wouldn't be so certain of that," Itachi said. He placed his cheek on a hand and looked out the window. "She is an important person to Naruto, killing her wouldn't lure him in Madara's clutches. He told you she was dead to infuriate him and make him lose control of the Kyuubi. It happened once before, correct?" His tone was casual, as though they were discussing the weather rather than the possibility of life or death for her friend.

"It did…" Sakura said, remembering the time with Pein. "So do you think there's still hope for her then?" She sat on the edge of her seat in anticipation of his answer.

"That's not something neither you nor I know," Itachi said. "Do not get your hopes up, but rather consider the likelihood that she may be still a prisoner as long as Naruto is out of their reach."

"Then I guess no matter what we will have to confront Akatsuki again. I just hope no one else is captured or killed. We'll need better fighters to aid us," Sakura said.

"And one of those fighters will be me. I've made my decision regarding Sasuke. He is under Madara's influence, and will only continue to be brainwashed and fueled by hatred. It's time I explained my actions for the past seven years," Itachi said. His voice sounded more alive with determination than Sakura had ever heard.

She gasped and clapped her hands together. She didn't expect the sound to be so loud, but the kunoichi often forgot her own super strength. "Thank you, Itachi-san. You won't regret it. We'll save him and Hinata together." _And Neji, if he's still alive by some miracle. _

The Uchiha smiled faintly and took the plates to the sink. As he washed them, he said "There is only minor problem."

Sakura's heart thudded with fear. What if it was some other tragic secret or lie…? "And what's that?"

Itachi sighed and placed the plates on the rack to dry. The sunlight streaming through the window softened his pale skin. His black hair looked smooth and sleek. "I'm going to have to find a way to keep my garden watered."

Sakura rolled her eyes and smirked. "Oh, I'm sure you'll come up with something, Mr. Genius of his generation."

**End of Chapter Five**

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll have the next one up as soon as possible. Thanks for any suggestions :)


	6. Fugio

****I don't own anything from Naruto. :)

**Chapter Six - Fugio**

* * *

Hinata hoarse throat let out a whimper. She tried to move her arms, but once again they were chained to a cold surface. This time, it was a metal examination table. She couldn't even budge her neck or head. Her eyes roamed around the room—it appeared to be some kind of lab. A blinding light beamed down upon her.

"Is the girl ready?" a raspy voice from behind said.

"Almost. We just need to do one final thing." The speaker was Kabuto, who was slipping on medical gloves. He grinned at his prize. If only Orochimaru could see his accomplishments. Although the Sannin never cared for the Byakugan as much as the Sharingan, he recognized its value. Kabuto was one step closer to accomplishing his master's goal.

Out of instinct, Hinata tried to escape. Her struggles were in vain, she only managed to cut her skin into the metal bands holding her in place. Kabuto noticed and with a smirk, he murmured, "now, now. You agreed to our little deal, remember?" He took a metal tool and attached to Hinata's eyelids. The cold air dried her eyes and it forced them to stay open.

"And a Konoha shinobi never goes back on her word," Kabuto said. The faint scent of rubbing alcohol wafted into the lab. By now, Hinata's eyes protested and watered. She wanted nothing more than the torture to end.

"I have an assistant here with me today," Kabuto gestured to Zetsu. He stood by a tray holding surgical tools. He gazed on stoically, awaiting any cruel command. Hinata took in shallow breaths. She thought of Naruto, Neji, her sister and even her father. He would be proud of her sacrifice. Perhaps, he would be pleased with his daughter, maybe even deem her worthy of the Hyuuga title.

"I've decided I need one more person to aid me in the removal of your eyes. You shouldn't be too upset," Kabuto said. His voice grew more sadistic and excited as he went on: "I've summoned her just for you." He slammed his hands together and pointed a palm at the ground.

A wooden coffin shot out of the floor. Its door immediately fell open with a loud crash. Smoke filled the room, and Hinata coughed as her lungs struggled to take in air. She couldn't see who Kabuto had summoned. "Over here by the table," he ordered.

Hinata heard faint, delicate footsteps walk her way. Her eyes were bone dry and her vision had blurred, but she could still identify the face that looked so much like her own. Someone Hinata had only spoken to in dreams for the last ten years. She wanted to cry, but her eyes had no tears to give.

"My daughter…" a woman with the same shade of violet hair said. Her expression was broken with grief. "What have they done to you?"

Hinata couldn't speak. She had yearned to see her mother's kind face one final time. How ironic it would be the last thing she would ever see.

"It's not the question of what have they done. It's what _you_ will do to her. You will help me remove her eyes. You can join your little girl in the afterlife, for she will die today," Kabuto said.

"You monster," Hinata whispered. She no longer cared about the consequences of such an insult. This man had taken everything from her. For the second time in her life, words flowed freely from her mouth.

"Monster? I'd like to refer to myself as a snake. Cunning, deceptive, and lethal to anyone who gets in my way," Kabuto said. He leaned over Hinata and placed a knife on the sensitive skin surrounding her left eye. It cut into it as easily as paper. Beyond the sheering pain, she could hear her mother's frantic pleas to stop as she picked up a scalpel. Her muscles trembled with the effort to resist, but as an Edo-Tensei summon, it was impossible.

"And that person is me." Kabuto's forehead furrowed in confusion and he turned to look for the intruder, but it was too late. He was slammed against a shelf with such force the glass jars and flasks flew into the air. Colorful liquids and amputated body parts alike showered the room.

Hinata's eyes felt relief as the tool was taken off of them. She blinked for a good few seconds and opened them to see Neji. He looked bad—fresh gashes oozed blood and his face was lined with bruises. One of his eyes was nearly swelled shut. But he was alive. Hinata cried out in relief lifted her neck as far as she could. Zetsu inched behind Neji, a kunai ready in his hand.

"Watch out!" Hinata said.

But her cousin had already sent Zetsu flying across the room with his Gentle Fist. He resumed back to releasing Hinata's bindings. Neji had just finished slicing the last one open when he dodged a vicious snake. The creature's fangs missed the Hyuuga's face by centimeters as he jumped back. He whirled around and sent tables flying towards the snake with his chakra enhanced power.

The snake hissed and slithered back to Kabuto, who had now gotten back up and glared at Neji with narrowed slit-eyes. He swung open his clock and several serpents sprung out. They surrounded her cousin and darted towards him with inhumanly fast reflexes.

"_Hakkesho Kaiton!" _

Neji released a whirlwind of chakra that enveloped the reptiles. They flew back into the air, one nearly hit Zetsu. Hinata leapt off the table and stood next to the older Hyuuga. Her arms were raised to prepare for any combat and she activated her Byakugan. Hinata could sense Neji's hostile chakra radiating off of him as he clenched his teeth in fury. She had forgotten how much of powerful aura he could command.

"You'll pay for what you've done. I'll crush you," Neji growled.

Kabuto smirked. "Oh, you think you'll punish me so easily? You've yet to see my full power. Let's see you deflect this…_Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu!"_

The words had barely left his mouth when water beams collided with Neji and Hinata. They were crushed against the metal wall with such force she thought her lungs would collapse. She heard a snarl and looked up to see a dragon composed of water baring its teeth. Its beady eyes took in the sight both of the Hyuuga as they struggled to push through the water jets.

It dived towards them with full speed. Hinata had only seconds to react—

"_Hakke Kusho!" _Her palms directed a precise yet powerful blow to the currents. This technique was usually reserved for targeting a human's vital points, but it worked just as well for shutting down any kind of force. The water propelled back onto the dragon. It roared and launched itself to the cousins again, this time with even quicker speed. Neji and Hinata flung themselves away in opposite directions. She landed near the corner of the lab, just catching her breath when she felt the icy sensation of metal against her neck. She froze and titled her head an inch to see her mother holding a kunai to her. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her lips trembled.

"Forgive me…I cannot control my movements. Please, get away from me," her mother whispered.

Kabuto chuckled behind her and slowly stalked towards them. "If you don't want to suffer the guilt of having to slit your own daughter's throat, she will remain still." Snakes glides through the flooded floor and wrapped around Hinata's legs. They squeezed them until her circulation cut off. They slithered up to her torso and wrapped her arms together. Her lungs felt like they were going to explode from the pressure. The entire time, Hinata could still feel the blade sinking into her neck.

"No!" Neji bolted towards Kabuto, his arms raised Taijutsu style. They clashed with such force both of them were propelled back several feet. Kabuto recovered first: he clasped his hands together as rocks jutted out and cracked through the smooth floor. Neji evaded them just in time—but he wasn't prepared for the next attack. Kabuto jumped into the air with so much power Hinata couldn't keep track of his movement. He swung a glowing weapon at the Neji's face. Her cousin cried out and collapsed. His hand clutched the right side of his face as it oozed blood. Hinata could only see a pool of blood at Neji's feet. It mixed with the clear water across the floor.

Kabuto swung his arm forward and several white snakes shot out of his cape. For one terrifying second, Hinata thought they would kill Neji, but he hurdled himself into the air, narrowing missing them. The eye that had been swelled shut was bleeding so profusely she knew her cousin would die if he didn't receive immediate treatment.

Kabuto laughed, it was bitter and heartless. Hinata want to kill him. She jerked away and fought through the snakes' gripe, but Neji cried out, "no! Don't do it. Stay where you are."

"I won't let you die like this," Hinata said. Her voice chocked into a sob and she gathered her chakra together to prepare an attack. She could feel her mother's presence behind her. Hinata couldn't bring herself to look back. _At least now you can see how far I've grown. _

"It's over. You're both doomed and destined to be nothing more than science experiments. I've infused my DNA with Orochimaru-sama's and it provided me with power you can't even imagine. Your bloodline would be of better use for me. I'll study your Byakugan and learn its secrets, then perfect it even further. I'll make your clan proud," Kabuto said.

Neji groaned and stood up. He tore off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around his head, covering his injured eye. "You could never learn our secrets. Dissect our eyes all you want, you'll never be worthy of our family's greatest treasure."

"I don't care about your family's honor. I only need to gain more strength and bloodlines are the surest way to achieve that. When I'm done with you two, I'll be after the Uchiha boy next. Now, let us end this," Kabuto hissed. He raised his hands to form a seal.

"After me? Care to try that?" a male voice spoke. Uchiha Sasuke sauntered towards Kabuto, who stepped back in surprise. Hinata hadn't seen him since they were thirteen…he had grown into a young man who looked as livid and evil as her father had once been. Through his bangs, she could see his fiery Sharingan. Sasuke had a dangerous aura that screamed_ I'll kill you without even a blink._

Everyone in the room stared in shocked silence. Kabuto smirked and said, "you were mine the second I made that deal with Tobi. I blackmailed him with a terrible secret of his, so he promised me a fresh young Uchiha body as my gift for my silence."

"Did he? That coward will pay right after I finish beating your lifeless body into the ground, like I did to your master. I should have killed you then," Sasuke snarled.

Kabuto's lips twitched. "You'll regret those words. Despite your hatred to Orochimaru-sama, you and I are still similar. I had no family, no identity. Betrayed by everyone whom I thought was an ally. You're friendless and this will ultimately destroy you. Konoha wants you dead. Tobi threw you to the dogs if it meant his secret was safe. Your own brother, who chose the village over your clan, thought nothing of you," he said.

Sasuke lunged at Kabuto. His eyes widened with rage; Hinata could now see his Sharingan pattern looked different. Within seconds, a dark chakra shield formed around the furious Uchiha. It developed into a skeleton, then fleshed to form armor and wielded a bow and arrow. The spiritual creature loomed over everyone, guarding Sasuke. It remained still, awaiting his command.

"Die," Sasuke said. The summon released the arrow aimed at Kabuto. It tore through the laboratory walls and sent smoke and debris flying everywhere. Hinata gasped as bits of rocks, wall, and destroyed equipment near her. She turned to find Neji limping over to her, his leg was soaked in blood; bits of shards and glass were lodged in his limbs. Hinata felt a hand grab her shoulder and turned to see her mother. She clasped onto her, expecting warmth—she was as cold as stone.

"Don't be so heartbroken, Hinata. I'm filled with nothing but joy and happiness. You've shown bravery and will-power I couldn't harness myself. I've watched your progress over the years and I could never be more proud. This has been a blessing in disguise because I've always wanted to tell you myself how much I care. As soon as this terrible jutsu is released, I can move on in peace. Now, you must leave. Get away with Neji…" her mother said.

"I've always wanted to see you again. There were so many times I needed you…" Hinata said.

It wasn't fair; she wanted nothing more in the world than to keep clinging on the one the few people who loved her. Who made the Hyuuga feel like something more than an heiress and mere tool for the clan. She stumbled back, still clutching her mother's hand, and turned to Neji.

"She's right. We need to leave, if we have any hope for escape. That Kabuto guy is far too strong, if he brings back-up or summons any more Edo-Tensei, we'll all be killed. As for Sasuke… there's no telling what he's thinking. He may turn on us after he's done," Neji said.

Hinata shakily nodded. She gave one last look to her mother and released her hand. She helped her cousin stand. "Lean on me, I'll make a run for it now. Can you walk?" She tried to keep her voice calm and sound like she knew what she was doing. The truth is, Hinata had no way of knowing how to get out of this mess.

"I can try. I'll guide us towards a weaker spot where we can leave, we'll have to look out for any of our enemies so keep your Byakugan activated," Neji said.

"Of cou—"

The sound of the roof caving in and boulders collapsed interrupted Hinata. The air was slowly thickening and it became difficult to breathe. She could see the vague outline of Sasuke's summon in a fierce battle with Kabuto, who had transformed himself. A terrifying dragon that resembled Orochimaru crawled out of Kabuto's abdomen. A poisonous looking black liquid dripped from its fangs as it dived to attack Sasuke.

Hinata knew they were powerless to fight either person. She and Neji made their way as fast as they could towards the lab exit, which had been blown apart. The battle between Sasuke and Kabuto had begun only a minute or two ago, so she estimated only seconds before Tobi arrived. With the cave falling apart, it was a matter of time. She twisted her neck to look for her mother, but all she could see was rock crumbling and dust clouding the area.

"This way, it's down the hall…" Neji muttered. He had a difficult time even remaining conscious, his head kept falling against Hinata's shoulders. He limped along the way, his leg trailing droplets of blood. She couldn't bring herself to look at his eye. It would be a relief if there was any eye left after Kabuto's stab. Her own muscles shook with exhaustion and hunger, but her mother's last words fueled her desire to survive.

They walked for another minute or so without running into any obstacles. Hinata looked around in disbelief. There were few people in the area; they must have all rushed to Sasuke and Kabuto. Tobi's two greatest allies battling to the death would certainly grab his attention. Candles lit the way and eventually Neji paused. "It's here…where we came in. Can you try to break though the rock?" Even in the candlight, Hinata could see his face was as pale as his own eyes. She helped her cousin rest against the wall.

Raising her palms, she preformed the justu she had used previously against the dragon. It broke through the cave walls and light beamed in. Hinata's eyes watered—she wasn't sure if it was due to the sudden sunlight or the moment of escape. She grasped onto Neji's hand and they stepped into the sunlight together. It was at this moment Hinata came to appreciate her cousin. He had not saved her out of loyalty to his clan, but as someone that loved her just as much as her mother did.

* * *

"…and so, if you see a bunch of ninja running around who died decades ago, you have your answer," Sakura finished. She had explained how the war had been going since it began, and how their alliance planned to retaliate. The Uchiha listened with a carefully masked expression. Sakura couldn't tell if any of the information was actually news to him.

"I'm aware of the mechanics of Edo Tensei. It's a jutsu no better than the Mangekyou—requiring the sacrifice of another human life. If its true Kabuto has learned how to use it, then his opponent must be careful in taking him down," Itachi said after some thought.

Sakura furrowed her forehead. "Why?"

"If the one who activates Edo Tensei is killed before he can end it, the revived ninja will still live and carry out orders. Then, the only way to effectively defeat them is to seal each one, which demands specific powers," Itachi said.

Sakura rubbed a hand around her neck nervously. To kill Kabuto before he could end the jutsu would throw a wrench in their plans. She stepped around a booth that sold pastries and dango. They had traveled to a nearby town to gather supplies and weapons. The town was hosting their annual Winter Moon festival, where locals sold homemade delicacies and desserts. Fireworks lit up over the lake that was surrounded by merchants and shops. Children ran by without a care in the world, holding kites and toys. Despite all the cheerfulness around her, Sakura couldn't suppress the shiver down her limbs. She glanced at Itachi, whose Sharingan was activated. He used a Genjustu that disguised himself as a typical, brown-haired, brown-eyed villager. Only Sakura could see his true appearance, but it still felt odd walking around in public with a S-class criminal who was supposed to be dead. Still, civilians would be easily fooled by Itachi's illusion. Trained ninja were tricked all the time, as she learned from her battle with him a year ago.

They walked into a weapons shop that sold kunai, shuriken, and various sorts of scrolls and seals. Aside from the manager, whose face was hidden behind a newspaper, Itachi and Sakura were the only ones in the shop. Sakura immediately began to stock up on kunai, which was her primary weapon when she wasn't using her powerful strength. Itachi trailed down the rows, scrutinizing each weapon, but not selecting any.

"Why did you want to know so much about Kabuto anyway?"

Itachi sent her a look that said _lower your voice. _

Sakura sheepishly shrugged her shoulders and whispered, "So, why did you?"

"I believe he may be after Sasuke," Itachi said. He kept his voice muted and his eyes trained on the shop keeper, who was still lost in his newspaper. "From the information I've gathered, he was extremely fond of Orochimaru. He'll go after my brother to gain the Sharingan, as well as his personal revenge. As I've said before, the only reason I kept myself alive is to watch over him and to…dispose of any enemies that threaten him."

"Are you going to kill Kabuto? How would you end the Edo Tensei?" Sakura asked.

"I have a method in mind to take care of the jutsu. It's important I reach him before he goes after Sasuke. That's another reason I needed a night to think your plan over, I was awaiting confirmation on Kabuto's intention."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. She didn't know where Itachi even got his information from, but somehow she knew if she questioned it, he would only give an _"I have my ways"_ in response. Sakura sighed and walked over to the shopkeeper to purchase the kunai. He lowered his newspaper, but not before she read the headline that made her gasp.

The shop keeper frowned. "Is there something wrong, ma'am?"

"Ah, no. I-I'll just take these," Sakura said. She kept her focus on the kunai and fished out money to pay. She put the weapons in the bag and raced back to Itachi, who seemed to be picky about the weapons he used. As he ran his thumb along each edge of each one, only then she remembered he was almost blind. Itachi carried himself so smoothly, it was easy to forget about his condition. He eyed Sakura and sensed her tension, but he shifted his gaze to the shop keeper and said, "if it's important, wait until we're alone."

Itachi purchased his weapons; the whole process was so agonizingly slow Sakura wanted to grab him and drag him outside herself. She never imaged touching Itachi willingly, but the temptation was growing every second. Finally, they exited shop; the wind carried the scent of melted chocolate and buttery cakes. Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but Itachi put a finger to his lips and with a curt wave of his hand, led them down the alley of the weapons shop. It was quieter—and fouler, as Sakura spotted a rusty dumpster and sniffed her nose—but it would suffice.

"Did you see the newspaper headline?" Sakura asked.

Itachi frowned and shook his head. "Unless print is inches away from my eyes, everything is illegible."

"Oh…right," Sakura said awkwardly. "Well, it stated both Hinata and Neji Hyuuga are alive! Somehow earlier today, they managed to escape. Hinata is their heiress, so of course it made news. I don't think the article revealed much else, there's a lot of classified information that isn't sent to writers. But I know this will help raise everyone's spirits." She grinned and let the relief wash over her. Sakura had carried the guilt of Neji's death over her shoulders, and to hear about Hinata's survival was almost too good to be true.

"It looks like you were right after all," Sakura said, recalling Itachi's earlier statement.

Even in the dim light, she could see Itachi waving her comment off. "It was merely conjecture. I wouldn't have known about your friends' fate either way. But this does prove Madara cannot be trusted with any information he leaks to the alliance. This is also a blow to his inflated ego—he will desire revenge."

"Who is Madara anyway?"

"He is the Uchiha's clan ancestor. Although he's greatly weakened now, he's been slowly gaining strength through various means. One of them is the legendary Rinnegan."

Sakura shuddered. Pein used the Rinnegan to mercilessly destroy Konoha, murder many people dear to her, summon gigantic monsters, all while not even breaking a sweat. It took Naruto's charismatic skills to be able to convince him to revive the dead—otherwise Kakashi wouldn't be with them today, along with Shizune and hundreds of others.

"It seems impossible. With Kabuto using Edo-Tensei and Madara's powers, I just don't know. If Sasuke joins them, he'll never be redeemed and the alliance will kill him without a second thought," Sakura said.

Itachi sighed. "Not if Kabuto gets to him first. Which is why I'll eliminate him tomorrow morning."

Sakura mouth dropped. "_What?_ I thought we were going to get aid from the alliance!" She ignored Itachi's glare at her raised voice and went on, "you just can't go in there and attack Kabuto. Look at what happened with Naruto and I when we went to rescue Hinata. You'll need outside help if you hope to tackle anything Kabuto throws at you."

"And how do you propose we convince the alliance to help without revealing my identity? As I've mentioned before, I have the tools to get rid of Kabuto. Only then will I talk to Sasuke and attempt to explain my reasoning," Itachi said. He looked at Sakura as though she had sprouted wings.

"You said you've always tried to do everything on your own. Well, isn't it time to change that? Naruto, Kakashi-sensei and I all know your secret. We'll tip the scale of the battle. Naruto and Kakashi have grown so much since you last saw them," Sakura said.

Itachi raised his eyebrow skeptically. "Why do you care so much about how I fare against Kabuto?"

Sakura tried to not let her surprise show, but he brought up a question she hadn't quite answered herself. "Because, you saved my life and Sasuke's. I don't want your sacrifice to be in vain. Plus, it's up to you to talk to your brother, isn't it?"

"True…" Itachi said. A firework in the distant went off, showering the sky with shimmering lights. "It will be a difficult mission, but considering I fought all of you, I know what you're capable of. If you understand the risks then I won't stop you."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "I can send a messenger bird to Kakashi-sensei and Naruto. I know they'll be willing to help." _Maybe we can all convince Sasuke together. _

But it was a pipe dream; Sasuke still had to answer for all the crimes he committed, including attempted murder on the village leaders and the actual death of Danzo himself. Not to mention the fact that Itachi wouldn't want to return to the village…but just to see Sasuke happy and back to his normal self was all Sakura really wanted. If there was one thing her and Itachi agreed on, it was their desire for the younger Uchiha to live a fulfilling life with friends and family.

"The only thing is that this will probably take a few days for Kakashi and Naruto to receive the message and travel to this town. This might have to be delayed…" Sakura said. It worried her that Sasuke could potentially be attacked by Kabuto at any moment, but they had little choice.

Itachi seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Very well. Can you send a messenger out now?"

Sakura bit her thumb and drew a small amount of blood to summon the travel bird. Kakashi had taught their team this summoning jutstu; it would allow them to communicate from far distances. She thought of the battle canines her sensei used in their fight with Zabuza, and later to track Itachi.

Within seconds, a large, gray bird appeared out of smoke, serious and reserved. Sakura pulled out a paper from her bag and wrote in code. She didn't want the bird to be captured and her message getting into the wrong hands. She finished writing both papers, and send the summon along its way. They watched as the bird gradually disappeared into the clear night.

"Now we wait…" Sakura said.

Itachi cleared his throat softly and said, "do you have accommodations for tonight?"

"Yeah, I'll just find a hotel around here. I've earned lots from my previous missions," Sakura said. She felt proud to say that—she didn't want Itachi to think she was some defenseless, broke shinobi. She also wanted to avoid spending any more nights with him. It was just too weird, considering how Sakura felt about Sasuke. How would Itachi react when he found out she had an embarrassingly huge crush on his younger brother? Or that she attempted to take his life at Kage Summit?

"Then we'll meet tomorrow at noon, by the lake, to discuss the finer details. Refraining from killing Kabuto while ending his Edo Tensei will prove to be a challenge," Itachi said. He made his way through the alley onto the street, his eyes squinting.

Sakura gave a small smile in agreement. "I'll see you then." She turned and pointedly walked the opposite direction Itachi was heading. By now, the streets had cleared the and festival was ending. People yawned and strolled home, carrying bags of pastries and toys. Sakura knew this town was known for its celebrations, so there should be plenty of places to spend the night. She found a small hotel that advertised its prices on the window, which were pretty reasonable. Sakura walked into the warmly lit lobby, where an older woman at the receptionist desk greeted her.

"Your reservation number, dear?"

Sakura flushed. "Oh, I didn't make one. I was hoping to just book a couple of nights here."

The woman pursed her plume stained lips. "I'm afraid that can't be done. Unless you made a reservation, we're all full for this weekend. The Winter Moon Festival attracts tourists from every part of the village. This is the biggest time of the year for us. Maybe another place can take you?"

The woman's voice was kind, but her eyes looked at Sakura like she was crazy for thinking she could get a room without any reservations. The medic smiled weakly walked out, grabbing a map on the way. She scanned it and found a few other hotels that looked promising, but all of them were full. An hour later, Sakura found herself scowling at the closed booths and discarded dessert wrappers. _Of course _they would visit this town on their busiest time of year. Eventually, she spotted a quant bed and breakfast on the far side of town. She nervously fiddled with her wallet—the place looked cozy but had a luxurious feel to it. Sakura decided to chance it and swung open the glass door. She walked into the lobby and knew instantly this would be out of her price range. Small fountains were placed along the mahogany desk. To her right was a breakfast bar; formally dressed guests who returned from the festival talked quietly together and sipped tea.

"May I help you?" a woman around Sakura's age asked. She flipped her long chestnut hair over her shoulder and tapped her pen against the desk.

"Do you have any available rooms?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, we do."

"Erm…how much for one night?"

"3,000 ryo," the woman said. She smirked at Sakura's wallet, which she just now realized looked worn out. The kunoichi shoved it her bag, trying not to look surprised as she gave a tiny squeak of understanding and slowly retreated back. At that very moment, Sakura longed for Ino's companionship. Her best friend would roll her eyes at the place and come up with the perfect comeback or maybe sweet talk her way into a cheaper rate. Sakura missed her hometown and friends more than ever. She stood outside, not knowing what to do with herself. She had checked every possible hotel in the town…camping was starting to sound like an option. On a normal basis it wouldn't be a problem, but with this war going on she didn't want to be vulnerable, sleeping in the woods by herself.

"Sakura?"

The kunoichi couldn't bring herself to turn around. She shut her eyes and cursed her luck. Itachi had stepped out of the lobby of the hotel, holding a cup of steaming tea. Sakura's cheeks were so red they could rival his Sharingan; no doubt he had seen that embarrassing conversation with the receptionist, how could she have missed him?

"…um, hello," Sakura said, turning her body and trying to summon indifference into her voice. _Play it cool. Play it cool. _

"Most places were already booked," Itachi said. "This seemed to be the only available one, although a bit ornate for my taste."

Sakura gritted her teeth together. Before leaving, she saw the lobby advertising free facial massages for guests. What she would give for a good few hours at the spa, after the previous hellish weeks and only more to come. "Man…sounds rough," Sakura said, only when she could trust herself to say something civil.

The sarcastic tone was not lost on Itachi, who blinked and said, "I take it this it out of your price range?"

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "Well, yeah. Most shinobi don't make enough to cover that kind of cost. How do you…?"

"Along with being universally feared and despised, Akatsuki also carried the perk of competitive pay," Itachi said with an ironic edge to his voice. "We commanded higher salaries for missions few others would be willing to take."

Sakura nodded, slightly in awe. Not even Kakashi, a respected jounin, made that much. She never thought of S-class criminals living it up but it made sense after some thought. Still, that didn't exactly help her current situation.

"Right. Well, I guess I'll be seeing you around…" Sakura said.

"If you want, you could stay with me," Itachi said. He kept his eyes averted and studied the tea, which the chilly night air had cooled.

Sakura sputtered. "I mean, I'm sure I'll find some place. There are ton of inns, I'll just keep looking. This town is safe to walk around anyway." At that moment, a group of drunken men ambled out of a bar, shouting catcalls at a woman walking by and scaring her off. One of them ran after her, reaching for her hair until he tripped and collapsed into a drunken heap. "Suri-chan…don't be like that!" the man cried out.

Itachi sipped his tea, calmly watching the men. With his deadpan expression, it was obvious he didn't believe a word she said. "It's after midnight," he said.

The kunoichi pushed her shoulders back. "Thank you Itachi-san, but I'm fine." She turned and was planning the best way to start a fire without causing excessive smoke when she heard his final comment.

"Someone once urged me not to do be too self-reliant. I needed to open to others and accept their help, even against my better judgment," Itachi said. His gaze flickered to the men, who by now had spotted Sakura and waited in a cluster, hoping she would leave the hotel's area. She searched the Uchiha's face, trying to figure him out. Was he concerned?

"I'm pretty sure I could take those guys," Sakura said, but she sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. Truthfully, she hated relying on others almost as much as Itachi did. All she could think of were painful memories of clinging to Sasuke and Naruto for protection. Even Hinata had managed to save her teammate, as well as herself on several occasions. Sakura once again failed to do anything. But Itachi was right, accepting assistance from others, like she did with Tsunade, could help her in the long run. Plus, it was only one night. There could be an opening tomorrow. Sakura took a deep breath and faced Itachi. "Then I guess that will be okay. Thanks….again."

She adjusted her bag, and walked into the inn, once again resigned to spending the night with the brother of her first love. Sakura walked through the door and as the men outside groaned in disappointment, she could have sworn she saw Itachi crack a subtle smirk.

* * *

Sasuke couldn't prevent the coughing if he tried. His eyes bled heavily, and his clothing reeked of gore and sweat. Killing Kabuto had taken such a toll out of out him, he wasn't sure if he would survive the journey it took to get out of Akatsuki's range. Although Sasuke had his pride, even he had to acknowledge he only won the brutal fight because Kabuto couldn't kill him if he wanted the Sharingan. Sasuke had fled the hideout shortly after—Tobi appeared, furious the cave had been half-demolished, but as far as the Uchiha was concerned, the man should be grateful his life had been spared. Tobi's admission to poisoning Itachi rang through Sasuke's mind relentlessly, but he told himself each time he would have to wait. For now, he had an experiment he had to perform.

Sasuke had traveled to the far side of the Lightening country, lugging the body of Orochimaru's servant on his shoulders. There was nothing but forest surrounding him. No humans around to ruin his life, beg him to return to that village, or lie to him. A waterfall that glistened in the moonlight made calming sounds that helped him breathe. The Uchiha activated his Sharingan and cut his thumb with a kunai. Sasuke held a single strand of black hair he managed to get a hold of at the lab. His hands shook so hard he feared he would drop it. He faced his palms to the ground and hoped beyond hope he had correctly copied Kabuto's jutsu.

"_Edo Tensei!" _

Nothing happened. Kabuto laid there, his glassy eyes open to the stars. Sasuke blinked, swung his hand, and cast the jutsu again. And again. He did it countless times until he was forced to acknowledge the final, thrilling truth: Itachi was still alive.

* * *

Thanks for any suggestions! =)


	7. Documento

**Chapter Seven- Documento**

I don't own anything from Naruto. :)

* * *

The first thing Sakura thought to herself was how truly _unfair _it was that international criminals make more in a month than she did a in a year. Even Tsunade's salary was nothing compared to theirs (although the hokage blew off her money on drinks and gambling, so it's difficult to know how much she really made). The room Itachi booked radiated elegance and high-class. He must have just rented it himself, because the beds were both neatly made and arranged with plenty of pillows, each with a small mint. Sakura's boots sunk into the plush carpet; her body ached for rest. The travel to the small town had consumed her chakra supply. She was thankful that Naruto and Kakashi would take at least a day to reply, a fight with Kabuto or Sasuke sounded impossible to her.

Itachi placed his empty tea cup on top of the breakfast table. The room was lit by glass lamps and a chandelier. Sakura thought it was beautiful, but for someone like Itachi, it could be seen as a little on the ornate side. He walked over to the window that overlooked the street, which had quieted down by now.

"It's beautiful outside," she commented. The shops lined the cobble stone street—it looked like something out of one of her fairy tale books. The full moon made the town glow in a silvery light.

Itachi gave no answer. His eyes were blank and unresponsive. Sakura remembered once again his eyesight was damaged—he probably could only see blobs of buildings, if he was lucky. She bit her lip and regretted making the observation out loud. Things couldn't get any more awkward; at least there were two beds in the room and they wouldn't have to share. She sat gingerly on one of them and placed her bag on top of it.

"What did those two guys see?"

Itachi turned around and blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"When you first saw me, you put a Genjustu on the two men I fought. They looked so horrified…like they saw their worst nightmare come true or something," Sakura said.

"Well, they _did _see their worst possible fear. I can manipulate who views what under my illusions, I can also recreate their most terrifying memories," Itachi said.

Sakura fiddled with her bag strap. She remembered when Itachi had managed to put Naruto under a Genjutsu by merely his finger, she was thankful he aligned himself with Konoha. "You're very good at it."

"Your skills aren't poor either. You were able to dispel my jutsu easily. You'd be surprised at the number of ninja I defeated by a simple Genjutsu. To know how to cancel out one puts you above many people I've fought," Itachi said.

Sakura blushed. "Kakashi-sensei always told me I had potential in that area…I guess I never explored it. I trained under Tsunade and she taught me medical skills and how to harness enhanced strength. But I always wished I had learned it," she said.

Itachi smirked. "You talk as if you're a hundred and you have no time left to acquire those skills. You're young, and if I remember correctly, Kurenai-san was quite skilled at Genjutsu when I faced her. Perhaps she could teach you."

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "I doubt she'd have the time. She recently gave birth to her baby. It was Asuma's…" Anger surged through her at the thought of the jounin raising the child alone. Of course, she would have Shikamaru and the rest of team ten, but still, Akatsuki had taken a valuable soldier and father from Konoha.

Itachi didn't look surprised; he must have already known about the fight between Hidan and Asuma. "I apologize for your loss. He was a brave shinobi to face Hidan and Kakuzu after his battle with Kisame and me. He knew how strong our members were."

Sakura didn't reply. What was there to say, really? She learned long ago talking about someone wouldn't bring them back, no matter how much she wished.

"Perhaps then, I could teach you some methods," Itachi said.

Sakura's mouth formed a small _o_ of surprise. "You'd do that?"

"It would necessary if your squad is to pose a threat. Naruto-kun is talented at many things, but Genjutsu is not one of them. Your other teammate Sai, only specializes in art, like Deidara and Sasori did. The artistic types are rarely suited for the precise chakra control illusion casting requires," Itachi said, rolling his eyes ever so slightly, as if recalling a battle with a certain artsy ninja. "And Kakashi-san, although proficient at it, will not be your sensei forever. It's important at least one member of a team know how to create and dispel them."

The thought that one of the most talented shinobi of her generation seeing potential made Sakura feel like a million ryo. She had to beg Tsunade to take her as an apprentice. Kakashi who initially praised her skills above Naruto and Sasuke's, lost hope in her long ago. The look on Sasuke's face when he saw his brother _and_the girl he rejected long ago dishing out Genjutsu sounded almost too good to be true. She tried not to allow her eagerness to show, but she couldn't help it. Sakura loved to learn, and this lesson was long overdue.

"Thanks, I'd like that…but really, I'd like to return some kind of favor," she said.

Itachi glided over to the other bed and sat down. He titled his head attentively and asked, "And what would that be?"

"Let me examine your eyes. I know you're hesitant about it, but what have you got to lose? Maybe there's a way to at least alleviate the pain," Sakura said. She had seen Itachi clutching his head and wincing on occasion; he always did it when he thought she wasn't looking. But as a medic, Sakura was used to spotting signs of pain right off the bat. Tsunade warned her about stubborn teammates who tried to hide their injuries in order to keep fighting. "If I had a drink for every time Jiraiya pulled that, I'd be drunk for a lifetime," she'd say.

Itachi closed his eyes. "It can't be done. The only way to reverse such damage would be to steal Sasuke's eyes and implant them into my own sockets. I would gain a new power, the Eternal Mangekeyou Sharingan, which would grant me perfect sight forever. The Uchiha have been tearing out their siblings' eyes since its discovery."

Sakura gaped in shock. "What kind of cruel person would do something like that?"

"Madara would," Itachi said with a subtle bitterness.

"I see…" Sakura said. But really, she didn't want to understand. This Madara guy sounded more deranged every time Itachi mentioned him.

"It doesn't matter to me anyway. After the bloodshed of my clan, it's only fair I suffer for my crimes. The guilt I feel for surviving is relieved when I know it won't be an easy existence," Itachi said. He spoke softly, and looked like he was lost in his own memories of the night that changed everything.

Sakura wasn't sure how to reply. She knew what he did was wrong, no matter what the justification. But she never realized he felt such guilt about it. For some reason, she always imagined Itachi like she did Sai, who completed any mission no matter how painful it was without any regrets. They were both pressured by Danzo after all, who beat emotion out of his students until they forgot what it felt like to laugh. Sakura began to realize there were few people who were born evil—but it was so much easier to assume Itachi was. It's less work to hate someone than to try and understand them.

"You never planned on dying against Sasuke, did you?" Sakura asked.

"I did and for a while, I thought I had no choice in the matter. Shortly after the massacre…" Itachi paused, as though catching himself. He was clearly debating how much to reveal, but Sakura stayed silent. She had learned enough from experience with Sasuke how reserved Uchiha were.

Itachi cleared his throat and continued, "After the massacre, I was poisoned by Madara. He hoped it would take long enough for me to motivate Sasuke, but short enough to keep him from changing his mind, before it killed me. The Third Hokage ordered me to spy for Akatsuki and Madara was aware of that. He still valued my service to him, which is why the poison was slow-acting."

"You _let _him put toxins in your body?" Sakura asked.

Itachi shook his head. "I was only thirteen at the time and vulnerable with grief after that night. At that point, I would have welcomed death and only lived for Sasuke's sake, but I had moments of weakness. Everyday was a challenge to live through. He took advantage of that and ambushed me, before I joined Akatsuki. It was a difficult, bloody battle, but Madara had the experience I lacked and ultimately won."

"So, he didn't kill you right away because he still needed you to persuade Sasuke to leave Konoha," Sakura said. The name _Madara _struck fear into her heart more than ever—he was strong enough to bring Itachi down and command such a powerful organization with little effort.

Itachi sighed; despite his reserved nature Sakura could tell this was a difficult topic to discuss. "Exactly…"

Still, there was something odd about the whole story. Pieces weren't adding up. "If you knew he was going to brainwash Sasuke, why did you fake your own death?"

"The original plan was for my brother to return to Konoha a hero after killing Orochimaru, Deidara, and myself. He no longer had any reason to hold onto hatred and revenge. I used every precaution I could to keep Sasuke from going under Madara's wing. Most have failed…but there is one that guarantees victory on my part. A technique that not even Madara knew about. It's a last resort option, short of talking to Sasuke myself," Itachi said.

Sakura couldn't help but to wonder what this strategy involved, but she knew Itachi wouldn't tell her. It seemed severe, if he was going to talk to Sasuke before even considering it. All she knew was that it somehow included Naruto. Could that be why Itachi was okay with Naruto coming along to persuade Sasuke…? Even the words _last resort _and _guaranteed victory _implied no turning back. What if the plan was to kill Sasuke if he didn't oblige?

Sakura twisted her fingers through her hair nervously. She had committed to assassinating Sasuke when she saw there was no hope for his redemption. Itachi loved his brother more than anything, but he was also the same man who eliminated his own family for the sake of the village. She wouldn't put killing Sasuke past him, even if it destroyed the last bit of humanity Itachi clung to.

* * *

When Hinata turned over and saw Naruto sleeping peacefully a couple of feet away, she thought she was dreaming. When she confirmed this was in fact reality, she nearly had a heart-attack out of the sheer delight. The Hyuuga squeaked in surprise and lifted herself up as quietly as possible. They were in a medical ward with several patients resting in beds. She moved aside the tray carrying medicine bottles and creepy looking needles and inched closer to Naruto. He breathed softly; the blankets rose with each inhale. Although than the bandages that wrapped around his arm, he seemed healthy.

Hinata felt fine herself. She was exhausted and her muscles ached from overexertion, but she wasn't critically injured like many of the other patients in the ward. Some were missing limbs, others cried out in agonizing screams. One young man whose entire face had third-degree burns just lay there, silent and in shock. Her thoughts raced to Neji and she looked down each row of beds until she spotted the Hyuuga, who was also asleep. His entire left side of his face was covered in gauze. Hinata placed her trembling hand upon his own. It felt much warmer than her mother's.

She sniffed back a sob. There was already so much misery surrounding her—she should be thankful for her health. But Hinata couldn't help it; those precious few moments with her mother made her throat ache with grief. A tear fell upon Neji's uncovered side of his face. He opened his eye and look at Hinata with mild curiosity, as though studying an interesting species of butterfly.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to wake you," she said.

"No," Neji said. He extended his own hand to Hinata's. "If I were to wake up in pain, I would want to at least see a familiar face."

"I could go get a medic…"But she didn't move. They held onto each other, reliving the past few days in a span of seconds.

Neji rose and felt his bandaged face. He frowned with every passing touch, wincing as he inched towards his eye. Hinata gasped and tried not to show her fear. It wouldn't make her cousin feel any better about what he was going to see.

"Do me a favor," he said.

Hinata nodded assent. "Of course, anything."

"Remove the gauze for me."

"But wouldn't a medic be better qualified…?" she asked. It wasn't as though the Hyuuga feared blood, but she hadn't expected such a request.

Neji grunted in pain and rubbed his head. "No. If I'm going to show any kind of weakness, I want you to be the only one who sees it."

Hinata wasn't sure if she should feel honored or embarrassed. She took a deep breath and placed her hand into one of the bandages. She didn't expect it to feel so warm, but covered someone's skin, so of course it would. The kunoichi swallowed and slowly unwrapped the gauze. With every painstaking round, she only saw more scarred skin. It reminded her of opening a present—only with every inch uncovered, she felt more horrified.

Neji's entire left eye was nothing more than a hollow socket. A long, hideous scar drew down his once spotless face. His ear was nothing more than a stump of cartilage, it had been sliced off.

Hinata bit her lip until she could taste blood in an effort to control her expression. But Neji could see through her facade easily, with a narrowed eye he seized an empty tray next to him. He tilted the tray to get a good look at his reflection, inhaled sharply—and threw it across the room with such speed Hinata could only see a metallic blur. It crashed into the wall, making enough noise to draw in a frazzled looking medic, who stared around the ward in alarm.

"What on earth is going on?" the medic asked, rubbing her blood-stained gloves across her uniform. Aside from moans and whimpers of pain, silence answered her. She gazed around until she spotted the man with the third-degree burns and rushed over to him. "It's time for your ointment, Taku-san…" she said quietly as she removed her gloves and picked up a clear tube of medicine from the table.

Hinata stood frozen besides Neji, who had covered his damaged half of his face in his hands. She had no idea how to even begin to comfort him. To lose half of your sight and hearing would cause distress to any shinobi, especially one who used an ocular bloodline. Depth perception was destroyed. With only one ear, balance and hearing became skewed.

Hinata could hear the footsteps of the medic approaching them. She squeezed onto her cousin's hand and placed her other on his back.

"Did he just wake?" the medic asked. Her voice was soft, but she examined Neji with a critical eye that reminded Hinata of Sakura.

"Yes, but he wants to be alone for now," Hinata said. She felt protective of the older Hyuuga, as though she didn't want the medic to see his distress. Neji needed no one's pity.

The woman nodded and looked at Hinata. "We'll need to check up on him in a few minutes. As for you, aside from extreme chakra exhaustion, you seemed to be okay. You were also severely depleted of nutrients, and we fed them to you via an IV. But now you need to eat something, come with me."

Her terse tone implied Hinata had no choice. She gave Neji's hand one last reassuring squeeze and followed the medic, who walked briskly towards a cabinet.

"My name is Yusiko, and I'll be taking care of you and your cousin. Since it's been so long since you've eaten, we want to give your stomach small pieces of food. It's important we don't stress your system with a large meal," the medic said. She placed a thin slice of bread and a few grapes on a plate.

Hinata gave a soft _thank you_ and took the plate. Upon seeing food for the first time in days, she realized just how ravaged she was. Her stomach churned for subsistence and Hinata felt faint with hunger. Yusiko noticed and placed a hand upon the kunoichi's arm. She guided Hinata to her bed and handed her a large glass of water.

"Sip this every few minutes. Let me know when you're done. I know you're famished, but we have to start off small," the medic said. With that, she walked away to attend to another patient. Hinata nibbled on the bread, although she was tempted to eat the entire thing in one bite. Her hands shook as she popped a grape into her mouth. She kept glancing back at Neji, whose head was tilted so low she couldn't see his expression. Hinata sighed and tried to force away the guilt she felt. The only who deserved to feel remorse was Kabuto.

"Hinata…?"

She looked down at Naruto, who stared back with half-lidded eyes. He appeared so vulnerable, Hinata had never seen him in such a state. He was always strong and ready to fight and defend the people he cared about.

"Naruto-kun," she whispered. "I thought…when Kabuto told me you and Neji were going to die, I thought I'd never see either of you again. You're both so important to me." She realized this was the first time talking to Naruto since her confession. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as she'd thought it would be.

"Heh. That's funny in a sick, dark way," Naruto said as he sat up and rubbed his arm. "Tobi told me _you _had died. Neji, Sakura and I invaded the base to rescue you. By the time we got there, our plan had failed and I thought we were too late. I lost yet another person who'd give her life for me. And I never got to tell you thank you."

Hinata's heart felt like it was going to explode; she had never felt so loved. Three of her comrades had risked their lives, all to rescue her. Even though war was terrible, it did make a person realize who her real friends were. "You're welcome," she managed to say without a single stutter or blush.

Naruto's grin faded until he asked, "But how did we get away? Is Neji and Sakura here?"

"Neji is here, he arrived just in time to save me when I was held captive. But I haven't seen Sakura around," Hinata said, also confused. Could it be the pink-haired shinobi had gone back to work? But wouldn't see be in the ward with the other medics, checking up on her friends? And it was strange they had managed to get away; Akatsuki and Kabuto seemed so desperate for power, and the Kyuubi certainly could grant them that.

"Hm. Well that's odd," Naruto said. He scanned the ward with a worried look. "The last thing I heard her say was something…weird. I assumed it was a lie to try to shock Tobi and stall for time. But then all these crows started crowding around us, and next thing I know I'm waking up in a bed with scratchy sheets."

"There's something else I have to tell you," Hinata said. She knew Naruto cared for Sasuke like a brother, almost as much as she loved Neji. The memory of smoke and clouds of dark chakra enveloping Sasuke frightened her. She now understood why everyone saw the Uchiha as such a huge problem. The last thing Konoha needed was an enemy like him.

Hinata fiddled with one of the blankets, which did indeed feel scratchy upon further inspection. The Hyuuga pretended to be fascinated with them as she explained how Sasuke busted into the lab and took on Kabuto, while she and Neji escaped. For the entire story, Naruto was silent, gazing at Hinata with a somber expression. It was so out of character for him, she began to regret bringing it up. But he had to hear it.

"I don't know who won the fight. But I do know Sasuke had this killing intent I'd never seen from him before. He also wanted to go after Tobi when he was done…and then Konoha," she finished.

Naruto sighed and cradled his forehead in his hands. "He just wants to kill everyone, doesn't he? We have to tell Kakashi-sensei. Or whatever jounin we see first. I learned the hard way not to try to accomplish everything on my own. Nobody knew about our mission to rescue you, Hinata. We were only saved by some freak miracle. But first, I want to talk to Neji."

Hinata craned her neck to get another look at her cousin, whose face was still covered by a hand. He was the same shade of deathly pale she had seen when he had been injured. It looked like he was in shock.

"Neji will want to talk to you too, but for now he needs to be by himself. He was just injured badly. I know he'll recover, but he needs time alone," Hinata said.

Naruto followed her gaze to the Hyuuga, and nodded with a grim understanding. "Okay. Then let's get moving. Maybe if we talk to one of the medics, they'll know where to find someone we can tell." He slid off the bed and his eyes roamed over Hinata, who blushed and resisted the urge to turn away.

"Are you feeling okay? After all these days being a prisoner to those guys, maybe you should rest or—"

"Or come with you to help. I saw Sasuke myself, I can provide a more detailed description. After being coped up in that cave, I'm ready to take action," Hinata interrupted. She remembered her mother's words, which granted her the last bit of strength to escape and save their lives. Whenever she needed encouragement, all she had to do was think of their final conversation.

Naruto smirked and said, "Alright! Let's see what's outside this tent." They snuck out of the ward, where the medic was distracted by another patient. Outside laid several other injured ninja, who clung onto supporting teammates and tried to stop bleeding wounds. The magnitude of the war dawned on Hinata then. No wonder the Yusiko looked so frazzled. There weren't nearly enough medical ninja to treat every single injury, even the critical ones. It was clear where Sakura was; she must have woken earlier than everyone and gone out to tend to the wounded as soon as she could. Hinata sighed with relief, she had been anxious over the kunoichi's whereabouts as well.

The ward was surrounded by forest, although most of the nearby pine trees were cleared to make way for beds and clinical equipment. Medical ninja dashed around from patient to patient, while other people attempted to treat themselves by dabbing alcohol coated leaves into their gashes. Hinata felt nauseous—it smelled like iron and rotting flesh. It suddenly occurred to her that many people died here, not everyone made it past treatment and got to return home to their families. She shut her eyes, and wanted to close her ears and nose too, if she could. The Hyuuga hoped Sasuke had killed Kabuto; he and his Edo-Tensei were responsible for so many deaths.

She was brought back to the present by Naruto's warm, calloused hand intertwining with her own. "I know this isn't easy for you to see. It's hard for me too. But we have to keep going, there's got to be somebody around we can talk to," he said.

Hinata knew he was right, and if she wanted to prevent more of these injuries, they were going to have to talk to someone quickly. She led the way through the maze of patients and medics alike. They peered around for any Konoha jounin, but most people looked unfamiliar. All the villages had combined their manpower to fight this war, so of course it would be difficult to recognize anyone.

Naruto made a full circle, his frown deepening with every passing step. "Worse comes to worst, we can always tell a medic to relay the message along, let's just hope it gets there soon…oh, what's this?"

A gray bird flew towards them, its wings set in purpose. The creature held a scrolled up piece of paper in one of its delicate legs. It landed on Naruto's shoulder, where he jumped back in surprise. "Woah! Were you sent for me?"

The bird inclined its head and raised the leg that held the paper. Naruto untied the string around it and unfolded the scroll. His eyes widened with every passing word as he read. Hinata resisted the temptation to walk behind him and read the letter herself. Naruto studied it for a minute longer, as though trying to make sure the words he absorbed were correct. He shook his head in bewilderment and glanced back at Hinata. "Well, it looks like there's a change of plans."

Hinata raised her eyebrows in question, but Naruto walked past her to a medic, who was carrying three different types of medications. "Sorry to bother you, but do you have record of where Kakashi Hatake is?"

The medic frowned and reached in his pocket for a folded up paper. His hands juggled the medications as he read from the document, which looked like a list. "Yes, Kakashi-san was injured in a fight with one of the Edo-Tensei. He's currently in another ward about thirty miles south from here. We try to keep the status of high-ranked shinobi updated, and this was sent to me this morning."

Naruto grimaced at the news, but thanked the medic and turned to Hinata. "I can't really tell you what I just read, but Sakura needs my help, along with Kakashi-senei's."

"So the note was from her?" Hinata asked.

"Yes, I think so. But either way, I have to send back a message saying I'll meet her as soon as possible. It's just, without Kakashi-sensei with us, it's going be a lot more difficult. He saved us last time we tried to talk to Sasu—" Naruto stopped himself.

"Sasuke…?" Hinata pressed on. She wasn't normally the type to be persistent for answers, but as of late she continued to surprise herself with her boldness. It wasn't a bad feeling.

Naruto's cheeks flushed with embarrassment of his mistake. "Yeah, but I wasn't supposed to reveal that much to you. I'm sorry, but it's important this stays top secret. It does involve Sasuke….and the possibility we might be able to get him back."

Hinata twirled a strand of violet hair together. "I understand. I wish you the best of luck, Naruto-kun." Though she couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice, she had been honest with Naruto on matters she'd thought she'd take to the grave. He knew her family's troubles and secrets. Maybe she would just always be the girl with a crush to him.

Naruto sighed with relief. "I knew you would! Besides, I don't want you to get hurt for my sake anymore. Maybe it's just best you stay on the sidelines, you know?"

Hinata's eyes narrowed. Was her act of defiance against Pein all for nothing? Her escape from Akatsuki? She had shown herself to be competent on more than one occasion. "To be honest, I don't know what you're talking about. I've worked hard to become stronger, to improve my technique, and prove everyone who had doubts about me wrong. You've always believed in me. You pushed me to fight against Neji when no one else would. And as long as Konoha still needs be defended, I'll always be on the front-lines, right by your side," she said.

Naruto's blue eyes looked dazed with shock. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and said, "I'm sorry, Hinata. I sometimes forget that you're not the timid, shy, girl I used to know from the academy. You're stronger than that…"

The Hyuuga crossed her arms and pursed her lips. She had dreamed of the day she would gain recognition from everyone she cared for: her father, Neji, the rest of her peers, and Naruto. But maybe that day would never come. Maybe the only approval that really mattered had to come from within. "I can fend for myself, Naruto-kun."

The blond ninja adjusted his headband. His fingers danced over the Konoha emblem. "You sound just like my mom. She would have scolded me too and told me to get my act together, to stop assuming everyone would just sit around and support me while I had to be the hero. But that day we fought Pein, _you _were the real hero, Hinata. Everyone applauded and thanked me, but if it wasn't for your act of bravery, I wouldn't be here today. A lot of people wouldn't."

Hinata stared at him silently, wondering where Naruto was going with all this. He kept averting his eyes from her and fidgeted nervously.

"The thing is, for this mission Sakura told me about, we need four people. That's the standard number you usually need anyway. Kakashi was supposed to be our fourth. Yamato could be another option, but there's rumor he was kidnapped by Akatsuki." Naruto ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it even more. "Hinata, I trust you with my life. So I think I can trust you with a secret no one else is supposed to know about."

Hinata cocked her head to the side in confusion. She assumed she knew everything about Naruto and his business with Sasuke. "I won't tell a soul. If you need my help on this mission, I'll be there."

Naruto nodded. He motioned with his hand for Hinata to follow and led the way to the end of the forest. He gazed around for anyone nearby who might overhear and took another sharp breath as he said, "Okay, then before we leave, there are some things you've got to know about the Uchiha clan and Sasuke's brother…"

* * *

As of this moment, Sakura's head caught on fire. Flames danced around her arms, the heat should have been enough to sear her skin and make her suffocate, but the kunoichi felt nothing and breathed clean air. Alright, so her brain _knew _it was only an illusion. Step one completed. But no matter how hard she channeled her chakra to break the grip it had on her mind, it refused to see reality. For the past few seconds, the burning flames was all she saw. Her nose wrinkled at the smell of ember and ash floating around. Sakura grit her teeth, but this was the toughest Genjutsu she had faced.

"Your chakra control still isn't where it needs to be. You'll have to improve if you hope to break off this level of Genjutsu," Itachi's stern voice echoed throughout her sensory prison. The world eventually faded into greens and blues, and Sakura's eyes adjusted to the sunlight. She sat cross-legged on a meadow near their hotel. It was at the edge of town, but close enough to report back if Naruto and Kakashi arrived. The soft blade grassed tickled her skin and the wind played with her hair, yet Sakura felt nothing but misery.

She had thought Genjutsu would be easy enough to master, since Itachi sounded as promising as Kakashi once did, but it seemed like she was getting nowhere. They had been practicing for the past three hours, and Itachi was a strict teacher. He made Tsunade look like an Academy sensei. At first, he activated simple Sharingan Genjutsu, which Sakura dispelled with little effort. But then he began to layer one illusion on top of another, which brought all new difficulties she hadn't ever faced. They hadn't even gotten into actually casting jutsu, Itachi told her she needed to understand the basics and how to defend herself before she could even go into offensive tactics.

The Uchiha sat across from her, his eyes bore into her own with such intensity Sakura had to remind herself that he was an ally. Just a scary one. Her shoulders slumped in frustration; they had been working on this one particular jutsu that involved three different layers of illusions. She had gotten so close to breaking it, enough that it would satisfy Iruka or even Kakashi, but Itachi didn't accept anything less than perfection.

"Remember, if you cannot break the foreign chakra that's overtaking your brain's sensory system, you'll have no hope of escape. Focus is absolutely crucial at this point, so you need to keep your mind on the task at hand," Itachi said.

"I know, it's just difficult," Sakura said. She just didn't understand why. Chaka control had always been her strongest points. But then again, Itachi was the one training her. He had such high expectations for himself and others, it made sense why he was so skilled. She placed her hands together and took a deep breath. _Focus. _

"These are the most challenging Genjutsu techniques to break," Itachi admitted. He closed his eyes for a moment as he went on, "but there are opponents out there besides myself who specialize in these types of attacks. They are usually successful in combat because few shinobi have more than a basic knowledge of how to dispel them. Now, again."

Itachi's eyes opened and Sakura forced herself to look into them. It took a lot of willpower to place herself in such a vulnerable position, but she was desperate to learn. As her world faded into yet another painful illusion, Sakura tried to focus. She could see the wind playing with Itachi's hair. The sunlight reflecting off of his scratched headband. His mouth set in a rigid frown as he began to implement the Genjutsu. He looked so much more peaceful when he was asleep…

Despite the attempt to concentrate, her mind took her back to the previous night. Itachi was a lot more open than she ever thought previously. After he told her most of the background information she thought she'd only hear from Naruto, they talked about lighter topics. Like the best dango stall in Konoha. Or that crazy cat lady who once tried to turn her husband into one. Sakura hadn't realized how much Itachi cared for their hometown until he told stories about his childhood, which included playing hide-and-seek with Sasuke. It was hard to imagine Itachi as a child, playing games like she used to with Ino. When he talked about Sasuke, it was the only time his eyes ever lit up.

Itachi let her shower first, which had been much needed. She tried not to even think about what kind of scent she gave off; a shinobi's lifestyle was anything but glamorous. If someone every made a perfume specially designed for kunoichi, Sakura would be second in line to buy, right after Ino. She felt a little insecure as she removed her clothes, knowing Sasuke's brother was only a thin door away, but she pushed the thoughts away. Sakura let the streaming water soothe her sore muscles and stared at the marble tile, lost in thought of the future ahead. It frightened her and she couldn't shake the feeling that _someone _would meet an untimely end. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the possibility of Itachi's plan to kill Sasuke, but she stubbornly kept them at bay. Afterwards, Sakura relaxed on the bed and told herself to worry about it for another day, there was no use in agonizing over what may nor may not happen. As Itachi gathered his own folded towel to take a shower, Sakura fell into a deep sleep.

"…Sakura?"

The kunoichi opened her eyes. Itachi stared at her with an uncertain expression. "Did I hurt you?" he asked, as though wondering himself if it was possible to unintentionally harm someone through an illusion.

"N-no. Sorry, I was just distracted," Sakura stammered. She wished she could blame it on hunger, but they had a full breakfast provided by the hotel.

"Distraction can be a fatal mistake during battle," Itachi said matter-of-factly. His hands rose to form the usual seal to activate Genjutsu. "Again. This time don't allow anything to interfere with your attention."

This time, the illusion began suddenly; Sakura found herself lost in an ocean. She could see the faint light ahead, but it was miles and miles deep. She tried to breathe, but the pressure crushed her lungs. Panicking at this point, Sakura tried to put her effort into ending the Genjutsu, but she couldn't. Memories of that day at the lake, many years ago, invaded her mind.

_No, don't think about that now. Just focus. _

Water filled her chest and Sakura gasped for air. This felt far too painful to be fake. She was truly drowning in an ocean, with Itachi too far away to help. She clutched her hands around her neck, trying to draw in air, but her vision darkened and she fell unconscious.

"Sakura, wake up. It's alright now," Itachi told her quietly. His voice sounded gentle and supportive, yet disappointed.

The kunoichi slowly opened her eyes and looked around the meadow. Her chest rose and sunk with clean air. Pearly white clouds drifted by. Sakura wanted to crawl into the near by rabbit hole in sheer embarrassment. She had failed even more miserably than before.

Itachi held his hand out to her and Sakura grabbed it, too dazed and self-conscious to feel awkward. She smoothed out the edges of her skirt, which had been wrinkled when she fell back. The Uchiha released his hand and placed on her upper back to support her. He studied her upset expression with intent. "You were showing improvement before. What happened?"

Sakura held back a laugh. He thought she had actually been doing okay before this mess? "It's nothing. Water can sometimes make me nervous, that's all. I've had an incident in the past…it was a long time ago."

Itachi gradually removed his hand and dipped his head in understanding. If he was curious about the cause of her terror, he didn't let on. "Genjutsu can be a good place to confront trauma. It allows us to deal with fear without having to be in actual danger. Our brains are simply fooled into thinking its reality, but there is never any real harm."

Sakura forced a smile. "I know, but nothing can prepare you to tackle insecurities from childhood. I've had so many too, but after hearing Naruto's story, I know I should be thankful."

"We all have to face our demons at one point or another," Itachi said. His eyes grew dark with his own memories. Sakura couldn't begin to imagine what his nightmares must be like. She had slept easily through last night, but she wasn't sure how much rest Itachi enjoyed. He was awake the next morning, sharpening his kunai, but with bags under his eyes.

"I know. But I don't think I can continue this, I just don't have what it takes. You've got a lot more will power than I do. Maybe this is why Kakashi-sensei never taught me. He knows I cry easily and I allow emotions to get the best of me," Sakura said. She couldn't meet Itachi's eyes, and stared down at her own skirt, smoothing invisible lines.

"It's not about dismissing your emotions. It's about acknowledging what you're feeling and learning to accept those sentiments. As long as you're dedicated and are skilled at chakra control, you can learn Genjutsu," Itachi said.

"But I can't—"

"You can either make excuses or changes. It's your choice, Sakura," Itachi said.

The kunoichi nodded, as her optimism flowed through and empowered her. It felt refreshing to have somebody who refused to give up on her. "You're right. I was bullied and teased as young girl. The only thing I could do well was bookwork. But now maybe it's just always been lack of confidence that held me back," Sakura said. She lifted her eyes and met Itachi's, this time ready for any illusion that came her way. "Let's try again."

Itachi's lips formed a hint of smirk and he placed his hands together. Her surroundings once again blurred into a new environment; the last thought Sakura entertained was how much more handsome the older Uchiha was when he smiled.

* * *

I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible. I'm relatively new to writing, but I've been trying to lengthen each chapter as I progress. This week is spring break for me, so I'll more time to write...and hit Miami beach! ;)


	8. Inpostura

**Chapter Eight - Inpostura**

* * *

Miles below, towards the deepest valley, lay a cave that housed ancient armor, skeletons, and burnt wood decayed long ago. This had been a refuge during many wars, where shinobi hid out and slept, healed, and prayed for a better day. Now it was crumbled, forgotten, and alone until this very moment. Three ninja sat around a pile of crumbling wood that had once fueled a fire. The cave brought privacy and escape for its young inhabitants, and with it—something far greater.

Sasuke's hands trembled as he caught the scroll. He opened it and inspected the scrawled handwriting and seals. Outside, he could hear the faint grumble of thunder and a storm threatening, but he paid no mind. Today, he would finally have some answers.

"You've done well," he commented.

"Ah, it was nothing. Finding you however, turned out to be much more of a hassle," Suitgetsu said. The dim light glinted off his razor sharp teeth.

Juugo remained silent. His companion merely looked on and calmly clasped his cloak around his shoulders.

"What do you plan on doing now?" Suigetsu asked.

"You'll see," Sasuke said. He rolled the scroll shut and formed a few handseals effortlessly. Anko's unconscious body appeared out of thin air. Sasuke then removed Kabuto's piece of flesh he had taken upon his death and formed several more seals. The Cursed Seal of Heaven was a complicated technique, but he enjoyed a challenge every now and then. Within seconds, smoke exploded out of the scroll, disrupting the stillness of the cave. Suigetsu looked on with mild interest as a skeleton who still wore a helmet fell backwards from the force.

A person Sasuke thought he would never see again crawled out of Ankos's cursed seal. His tongue rolled around his mouth as he gripped the ground and observed his new environment. Orochimaru's eyes zeroed in on his apprentice and he chuckled darkly. His spine cracked with every move he made as he pulled himself up.

"What the hell?" Suigetsu asked as he jumped up and grappled for his sword. Juugo, with narrowed eyes and clenched fists, had backed away as far as the cave would allow.

Sasuke examined Orochimaru with his fearless, blood-red eyes. He casually placed a hand on his sword hilt and said, "I need some answers from you."

The Sannin met Sasuke's stare and smiled wolfishly. "And what would that be, Sasuke-kun? You've defeated Itachi already, what more could you want? You should be careful about who you bring resurrect…it may come back to bite you."

Suigetsu gaped and look from Orochimaru to the Uchiha in a mixture of shock and horror, as though his worst nightmare had just come true. Which knowing him, it probably had. "Seriously, have you gone mad?"

Sasuke ignored his companion. "There were some…complications, regarding my fight with Itachi. Now, I've come to ask you about your attack upon Konoha. How did you acquire the power to do it? What are the weakest spots to hit?"

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and averted the question with one of his own. "So, you plan to wage war against Konoha. How you have changed Sasuke-kun. Or perhaps, you've always been the same. I saw myself in you. I envisioned you going down a similar path, but what's the justification for such a decision, I wonder…?"

Sasuke snorted and leaned against the cave wall. "I have all the justification I need. None of which is your business. I only need to know your strategy, so I can be aware of what to do and what not to do. Unlike you, my plans don't fail and I won't suffer the humiliation of defeat."

The Sannin's eyes flashed with rage, before cooling into an icy glare. "Because your dear brother already taught you all about the embarrassment of defeat, didn't he?"

Sasuke growled and reached for his sword. Suigetsu and Juugo tensed and stood ready to attack at any moment's notice. "The same man who trapped you in a Genjustu for all of eternity. Do not speak of his name or I'll kill you right here," Sasuke spat.

The Sannin bristled with anger. His dark hair flew around his face as the wind grew stronger, making it more difficult to see his expression. The air had dropped down to at least ten degrees; Suigetsu shivered and kept watching the conversation, not willing to tear his eyes away from Orochimaru for even a second.

"Bu t you need me, don't you?" Orochimaru asked softly. His voice was as alluring, yet lethal like a King Cobra. One wrong move and he could kill you in a second.

Sasuke only replied with a look of disdain. It was true. He once again required the other ninja's help, as much as he hated to admit it.

"As for my plans, they are so simple a mere genin can understand them. It's best to keep goals, and your methods to obtain them, as clear-cut as possible. I used deceit, attacked Konoha during its weakest time, and killed that old man when he was vulnerable. If you're seeking a way that doesn't involve risk, it's impossible. You'll have to make your own mistakes like I did, Sasuke-kun…" Orochimaru hissed.

"What about man power?" Juugo asked. Everyone looked to him in surprise, he was so quiet he had been forgotten.

"Ah yes, how will you obtain enough followers? That's something I'm afraid only comes from a personality like mine—charismatic and forceful. It takes great skill to be able to lead others into traps, and a clever mind to experiment on subjects in order to learn as much as you can. My prisoners can attest to that," Orochimaru said with a smirk as his eyes flickered over to Juugo and Suigetsu.

The team Taka members glared at the Sannin and began to protest when Sasuke interjected. "You have a point. How will I raise an army large enough to threaten Konoha and all its citizens?" He paced around the cave, lost in thought. He didn't have the time or patience to follow Orochimaru's way of founding a country and capturing unwilling victims. Besides, Sasuke wanted people who had the same desires as he did. Who would answer to any command he ordered without hesitation, even if it was to kill every last man, woman, and child. But who would be so loyal to him? The ones who would give anything to see Konoha fall…

"Uchiha," Sasuke said. He stopped and stared outside the cave in wonder. Of course, how could he not have thought of it sooner?

"What do you mean?" Suigetsu asked. His gaze was still trained on Orochimaru.

"The Uchiha clan. They wanted to see Konoha fall and take control of it to make it a better place for all. I will revive them using Edo-Tensei and have them fight. I'll be able to help my parents fulfill their dreams and obtain what I've always wanted—my family back to me," Sasuke said. His voice grew more impassioned as he went on, "No one could stop us. Kabuto is dead. That wretched Tobi and Naruto will soon be. The only person who would pose a threat would be forced to come forward and reveal his existence, and that's exactly what I want from him."

Suigetsu's forehead crinkled in confusion, but Juugo understood. "Itachi."

"Yes," Sasuke said. He faced the cave's entrance; lightening illuminated the area and thunder boomed seconds later. Cold rain pelted down on the ninja. The wind roared with such fierceness it shook the walls and rattled the hollow skeletons. The Uchiha turned as another struck of lightening hit a mere mile away—his face contorted in a mad, deranged grin.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sakura and Itachi were forming a plan of their own. Naruto had sent back a message confirming he would meet them, and help them defeat Kabuto and bring Sasuke back. He would leave immediately and reach the town by tomorrow at dawn. They would leave as soon as he arrived to begin their mission, but in the meantime, they needed a plan.

Sakura chewed thoughtfully on a piece of ice as listened to Itachi's strategy. They had finished Genjutsu training (with the farthest Sakura could advance was dispelling them, but Itachi assured her that was still progress) and stopped at a small café to eat. It was busy enough to keep them unnoticed, but placed at the edge of the town, near the inn. The older Uchiha wanted to take no chances that anyone could find them, even though he always had his Genjutsu disguise activated. Sakura began to understand why he lived in an isolated cabin, miles away in some peaceful wood. It must place a tremendous amount of stress on his body to keep an illusion going for so long, even for a master like Itachi. They had long finished eating, and sat in discussion over their next few steps to take.

"Now that Naruto is going to aid us, the vast amount of clones he creates will benefit us. If he sends out several to attack various Edo Tensei and Zetsu clones, they will have a difficult time determining who the original is. At that point, we can set several Genjutsu that will lead to a greater distraction. Stopping Kabuto is our first priority, even before Sasuke," Itachi said. His voice quieted own to a mutter when a waitress carrying a tray of sake walked by.

Sakura swallowed the ice and suppressed a shiver as it slid down her throat. Now that they were actually going to attempt to break into the headquarters again, it only brought back those memories of the last time they made such an attempt—which had been a complete disaster. Even though Neji had broken Hinata out, if it weren't for Itachi's help, Naruto and Sakura would have died.

"So, you think Naruto's clones and illusions will be a strong enough decoy to stop Kabuto and reach Sasuke? What if we run out of time?" she asked.

Itachi smoothed his bangs together as a gust of wind hit the café. Wind chimes hanging from the ceilings made random melodies and customers grabbed napkins to keep from blowing away. "It should be. We'll need to have a back-up plan, just in case. If all else fails, Sasuke will know I'm here. He'll know to contact me," Itachi said.

"Well, we can only hope he's willing to listen to you. If he refuses then…" Sakura let her words drift off. It had haunted her last night and this morning—she had to know what Itachi had in mind if Sasuke didn't cooperate. She hoped he would reveal it right here and now. Even though she had sought out to kill the younger Uchiha, she couldn't go through with it. Now, the thought of him dying made her sick. Sakura hated to admit it, but she was still in love with Sasuke. Being around Itachi only reminded her of the young man she once knew. They were both so similar that it was almost like having Sasuke back. She'd forgotten how exciting that felt, and now that Itachi was still alive, there was promise for his brother. That hope was a slimmer of sunray peaking through gray clouds, but it was the light that brightened her world. Sakura couldn't lose that, she just _couldn't. _

"Then he will be dealt with accordingly," Itachi finished. From the tone of his voice, it sounded like he was also done with the conversation. Sakura was about to drop the innocent act right then and there and demand what Itachi meant when she felt something drop on her head. She jerked out of the way and a scroll fell into her hands. She recognized Naruto's messy handwriting and eagerly opened it to read:

_Sakura-chan,_

_I've heard some pretty bad news. It turns out Sasuke has killed Kabuto, and escaped from the hide-out. I'm still not sure if this is true or not, but this will make stopping the Edo-Tensei a lot more of a challenge. I don't know what's going on in Sasuke's mind. I'm not sure if he even knows. And another thing, tell Itachi not to freak out too much, but I'm bringing Hinata to help. She's proven her trust and is with us all the way. Neji was injured, but he's alive and safe. _

_See ya,_

_Naruto_

Sakura gripped the edges of the scroll and felt her stomach drop. The noodles she had eaten earlier threatened to make themselves known again as she put aside the scroll and tried to put on a casual face for Itachi. She picked up her chopsticks and played with her cold noodles, softly humming a song her mother used to sing, while shoving the paper down in her bag as casually as she could. Maybe he wouldn't notice anything weird and would just assume the scroll was from someone else. Sakura knew she had to tell him, but that would mean Itachi would never tell what his plan with Sasuke was. He would be too focused on finding a way to get around Edo-Tensei and the topic would be dropped.

"What's wrong?" Itachi asked, cutting to the chase.

Sakura scowled. Of course he could see right through her act. It was now or never, if she wanted to know Sasuke's fate. She scooted forward in her chair and propped both elbows on the table. "I'll explain in a bit. But for now, I'm pretty thirsty. We've done so much talking, after all. I'll get us some drinks from the bar, okay?"

Before Itachi had the opportunity to decline a drink of his own, Sakura bolted out of her seat and headed to the bar. There were paper curtains concealing much of it, so this worked in her favor. She leaned over the counter and scanned the menu for just the right thing.

"I'll have two jasmine teas. Make them strong," Sakura said to the waitress, who nodded and began to prepare it. She needed a cloudy drink for her idea to be successful. Her heart beat so loudly she could feel pulse in her neck. Sakura barely noticed as she handed the money over to the waitress and accepted the mugs. She glanced back one last time, and with trembling hands, pulled out a small bottle. Tsunade had taught her to make this concoction—it was created for Ibiki, the head interrogator for Konoha. It would first relax the victim and then eventually they would be inclined to talk freely of whatever they were asked. Tasteless and odorless, the brew worked for missions like these, where the shinobi could easily slip it in drinks.

Sakura tilted the bottle and watched it drip into the tea. The entire time, her anxiety only increased. She inspected both cups and determined there was absolutely no way Itachi would know the difference, no matter how talented or knowledgeable he was. She carried the tea back to the table and eased into her chair.

"Here you go!" she said and pushed the tampered tea to Itachi. He smiled faintly and said thank you, and for a split second, Sakura almost felt guilty. She forced a grin and shoved the uncomfortable feeling aside. She was doing this for the greater good, Itachi would thank her later. He wouldn't even know he had been drugged or remember this conversation; the mixture was supposed to slowly erase the memory of its effects over time.

Sakura held a breath as Itachi picked up his own drink and brought it too his lips. "Hm. Still hot," he said, and held it still, inches away from his mouth.

The kunoichi exhaled and tried not to show her disappointment as she nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but it will cool in a moment. So, you never told me how you got out of that poison from Madara. Did you end up finding a cure?"

Sakura cursed herself for even bringing this kind of topic up at a moment like this. What if this looked suspicious? Leave it to her to think of the most awkward thing to talk about, but it's not like she was _poisoning _him. She shifted aside her guilt once again.

"It's best we not speak his name in public," Itachi said. "But I did, with the help of an ally from Konoha. I had contacts with other shinobi from our village during my time in Akatsuki. One of them was Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya-san?"Sakura let out a cry of surprise, then covered her mouth in embarrassment as other customers looked over and Itachi's eyes narrowed at her. "Sorry, but it's just so unexpected…you two…. Naruto told me you guys nearly fought three years ago, back at the inn. So, was that just an act?"

"Yes, it was. He knew of my illness and offered to have Tsunade create an antidote for the poison. She wouldn't know it was for me, and assumed Jiraiya needed it as a precaution during his travels in Sand. He had been the one to convince me to stay alive to watch over Sasuke," Itachi said. He still held the cup and looked away towards the street, lost in thought. Sakura bit her bottom lip, too shocked to even respond. So Jiraiya had kept that kind of secret from Sasuke for years, even after he had run off to Orochimaru. It must have taken all of his willpower not to tell him the truth before he fled the village. Maybe that's why he took Naruto away from Konoha, not to train, but to keep in contact with Itachi. The whole thing blew her mind. But at the same time, it made sense how Jiraiya knew so much classified info on Akatsuki.

"Anyway, his death was certainly a huge loss to Konoha. The village lost a valuable man," Itachi said, raising the cup to lips again. By now, the tea had cooled down, Sakura noted with a jolt of excitement. "He informed me about this town, and it's attractiveness of its female citizens. Although he neglected to tell me about the terrible weather," Itachi said with a nod past Sakura.

She looked over her shoulder and saw that there were indeed storm clouds rapidly approaching the town. She could see the faint streaks of lightening dart through the sky, and noticed that the wind had grown colder. Sakura turned back around with a grin said, "You think Jiraiya-san would have paid attention to the weather in a place where they had gorgeous women? He probably thought it was sunny all the time."

Itachi displayed a rare smile of his own. "Fair point." With that said, he sipped his tea and leaned back in his chair.

Sakura surprised a cheer and allowed her inner self to explode with happiness. So he hadn't noticed anything was amiss with the drink. She took a large gulp of her own tea and let out a small sigh of contentment. The thought of Jiraiya gushing to a stoic Itachi about women was odd, to say at the least. Maybe he even tried to convince the Uchiha to go with him to a bar and pick up promising dates. Sakura smile and couldn't help the giggle that burst forth through her lips.

Itachi placed the cup down and titled his head curiously. "What's so amusing?"

Raindrops drizzled down. People covered their heads with newspapers and bags and jogged to their destination. One man with a tired face and silvery hair pushed a cart, advertising meats and cheeses, apparently oblivious to the weather.

"Oh, I was thinking of Jiraiya trying to hook you up with girls. Did he try that sort of thing?" Sakura asked with a laugh. Another question burst through her mouth: "Who am I kidding? From the stories Naruto told me, he probably did. What I'm wondering is if _Kisame _pulled that stuff with you."

A look of understanding crossed Itachi's face and he abruptly stood up. He dropped some cash on the table and said with a curt voice, "Kisame and I were purely colleagues. We should leave, it's about to start pouring and I don't want to get caught in it. We'll wait at the hotel until Naruto arrives. But until then, I recommend you withhold from any more questions."

Sakura rose up and walked with Itachi; by now the rain had started to bear its cold weight and within seconds her hair was damp. Normally, this would have irritated her, but right now she felt so carefree and alive. The kunoichi allowed the droplets to cool her skin—it had been blistering hot earlier anyway. Itachi kept his focus ahead and only spared a second to glance at Sakura to make sure she was following him. His skin had grown paler from the cold, it only contrasted even more with his dark hair. The sight of him reminded Sakura of a time long ago with Team Seven, they had to ambush civilian robbers that were raiding a town. It had also stormed for most of it.

"Has anyone ever told you that you look just like Sasuke?" Sakura asked. Maybe it was because she only saw an angle of Itachi's face, but if it weren't for the thin lines etched under his eyes, they could pass off as fraternal twins in a few years.

Itachi answered with a look that implied almost everyone who knew the brothers had made a similar remark. Sakura couldn't help but to wonder if it hurt to even look in the mirror—the constant reminder that one person who was your world, wanted nothing more than to kill you, had to be hard. She only realized she had just blurted out the last sentence, when Itachi sent her an incredulous expression.

"Sorry!" she said, putting her hand to her lips. They were approaching the bed and breakfast at a quick pace. Sakura tried to explain herself; she didn't want to be in an awkward situation with Itachi—good guy or not. "I mean, that's how _I _would feel. But he was my world too. There was once a time, I was so foolish, I begged to come with him when he fled Konoha. Even if meant becoming a missing nin myself and living in Orochimaru's layer. I loved your brother that much…I-I still do. Which is why I tried to take him out. He had become monster and I knew I would only be putting him out of his misery. " Her words tumbled out as clumsily as an academy-aged Naruto.

Itachi's jaw twitched when she uttered the last part of her speech, but he kept facing forward. Why did he ignore her? A rush of adrenaline shot through Sakura's veins, fueled by anger and frustration.

"You have nothing to say? Did you not know about that incident…?" she asked.

"There's no need to elaborate anything further, Sakura. I understand your meaning and how you feel for my brother," Itachi said.

"Yes, but what do you think of it? If Naruto or I would be the one to kill him, had I not met you?" she goaded. The kunoichi wanted to get some kind of reaction out of the aloof Uchiha. It was the same desperate feeling she experienced with Sasuke.

Itachi only remained silent. It was though he had gone deaf. Sakura grit her teeth and said, "You are just like him! Am I not good enough for an answer?"

They reached the hotel's entrance way. Rain pattered down on the ceiling and through the glass doors, Sakura could see a fire roaring in the lobby. The novelty of the refreshing rain had faded, now the inside of a warm hotel sounded heavenly. She inhaled the thick air which smelled of damp soil from the meadow nearby. Itachi finally turned and stared at her with those calm eyes, laced with a hint of irritation. "What is it you're seeking from me, Sakura? I cannot give you my brother's love. Even if he were to return to Konoha, there is no guarantee he would ever reciprocate your feelings. I understand you want him back as a teammate, but if you desire something more, I suggest you to look elsewhere," Itachi said. Droplets slid down his cheekbones and fell from his hair.

Sakura stepped back, as if slapped. His words stabbed through her ego like ice—jagged and hurtful and the cold with truth that she had tried to escape. Her daydreams always ended with a tearful, happy Team Seven reunion, as well as something more. "It's not like that…You left our team, and Konoha, and the rest of the ninja world with the responsibility of taking care of the mess you made. You said you would watch over Sasuke, but where were you when Team Seven needed you at Kage Summit? When _Sasuke _needed you?" she shot back.

"As you so eloquently put it,' Itachi drawled, his eyes narrowing into slits, "I already made my brother into a 'mess.' He would only worsen if I revealed myself when he was in such a furious state. Watching his descent into darkness without being able to lift a finger took all of my willpower. But I assure you, Sasuke would not have benefited from any talk with me until he had calmed down."

"And if he died that day?" Sakura asked.

Itachi's voice so quiet she nearly missed it: "then I succeeded in my mission as a shinobi. But I failed Sasuke as a brother."

Even against her will, Sakura's heart broke for the older Uchiha, who turned away as if to conceal his face. She couldn't blame him for Sasuke's madness. At a certain point, her old teammate had to take responsibility for his actions. It wasn't Itachi's fault his clan planned a coup, and Konoha retaliated by ordering him to slaughter them. No one was completely innocent—but Itachi didn't deserve any more blame to shoulder either.

_What would Tsunade do? _

The hokage would probably immediately pardon Itachi and arrest the elders. That much Sakura could guess. As for the ethics of the whole situation, she could only make vague estimates on what Tsunade would think of the Uchiha clan and Sasuke. Sakura knew this was a part of growing as a shinobi and an adult. To learn no one was perfect and everything had its flaws and hidden skeletons, even her beloved Konoha. It still didn't make the elders' orders and Itachi's final decision any easier to accept. And it certainly didn't make her any happier that Sasuke may never return her feelings. But somehow, confronting her worst fears had soothed her.

"I want everything to get better as much as you do. For things to go back to normal. No war, no ex-comrade trying to destroy your hometown, no close friends to worry about dying when you're not there to heal them. It's easy to blame somebody else and try to find the easy way out," Sakura said. Without thinking, she placed a hand on Itachi's own, who tensed. His skin was toughened from years as a ninja. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What for?" Itachi asked. His hand was rigid against her own, but he didn't remove it.

"For the way you had to suffer," Sakura said. "It's too much to ask of a person, even if he is a shinobi who defends Konoha. You're still human, with potential and dreams, and all that was taken away for the sake of one mission." A dying Zabuza and Haku flashed through her mind, they too were treated as nothing more than tools.

Itachi tilted his head and smiled. "It's because I'm a shinobi from Konoha that I was able to go through with my orders. To this day, I don't regret my decision."

Sakura's eyes searched his own, trying to understand his reasoning. But she felt even if she had a thousand years to do it, it's something she would never comprehend. They were just two people with contrasting values. But he still loved his brother dearly and would do anything to protect him. That was admirable—like the same Sasuke that had thrown himself in front of Naruto when they faced Haku.

"Then I don't regret what I said earlier: you are just like your brother. There was a time he was once as sacrificing as you. He would give his life rather than abandon his teammates. But I'm afraid that Sasuke is gone forever. Maybe it's a good thing you lived, the world needs at least one good Uchiha," Sakura said.

Itachi gently pulled his hand away. "You flatter me. I'm far from perfect and I'll suffer the weight of my actions for the rest of my life. Sasuke can still be redeemed. He could live an active life with friends and a family of his own one day."

"Well, that's the thing," Sakura said. She stepped closer to Itachi, who eyed her guardedly. "Maybe he doesn't want to be saved. What then? You can't rescue someone who only knows how to drown. He has to come up for air on his own." The puzzle that took years to solve finally began to fit together.

Itachi sighed. "What are you trying to say, Sakura?"

Before she could stop and think, the words had exploded into her mind and out of her mouth: "Maybe you deserve the chance to be free more than Sasuke does." Her surroundings blended together and Sakura put a hand to her forehead in an effort to keep steady. What had she just said? Did they not team together to bring back Sasuke, no matter what the cost? She stepped back and shook her head in confusion. "I don't know anymore. I have to be alone…to think some things over."

Sakura turned and without another word raced off. Her boots splashed against the puddles and water flew onto her clothes, but she didn't care. It didn't matter where she went—so long as it was far away from anything to do with the name _Uchiha. _

* * *

Sakura slid into the hot springs and relaxed as the scalding waters soothed her frozen muscles. Steam radiated off the water; aside from the calming sound of waves lapping against the edges, Sakura's breathing was the only other noise in the area. She shut her eyes and rested her throbbing head on her arms. The rain had stopped about an hour ago, but the air was still chilly and the sky an overcast. She was thankful the no other guests were at the springs. The kunoichi wondered what her parents were doing. Her mother was probably preparing the table for dinner by now, while her father fixed up the barbecue steak he was so known for. He used to tell Sakura it was the meal he made on the first date with her mother—she never looked back. Although Sakura would like to think there was a bit more to love than simply food, but what did she know about relationships? Her crush on Sasuke led to him trying to kill her. Naruto was disappointed and hurt by her fake confession to him. Even the once shy Hinata had bloomed into a young woman who remained true to her feelings. Everyone loved and applauded her newfound strength. When Sakura was honest with anyone, it led to problems. Like with Itachi….

Her earlier confrontation with Itachi was confusing. On one hand, she had felt resentful towards the way he treated Sasuke for all those years. But he had given her an explanation and he wasn't one to sugarcoat his words—what he said was what he meant. Ultimately, if she wanted to have a chance at saving Sasuke, she needed Itachi and he needed Team Seven to vouch for his brother. Then there was the pressing issue that Sasuke had a lot of crime to answer to, and if he wanted to answer to it. At this point, he would barge into Konoha with Danzo's head on a stick. Even if Tsunade did pity his situation and try to understand, the elders would not be as sympathetic. Especially if they had to claim responsibility for their own deeds—ordering the assassination of the Uchiha clan.

Her mind absorbed these worrisome thoughts, but a person can only stress for so long; eventually her eyelids grew heavy and Sakura fell asleep. She lost track of time and wasn't sure how long she slept, but when the kunoichi woke, the stars were visible in the clear night sky. Sakura cursed and jumped out. The half-moon guided her as she made her way through the changing room and grabbed a towel. She shivered and hastily wrapped the towel around herself. The springs which had looked so peaceful during the day seemed eerie at night. Shadows loomed over the area and every little noise made Sakura twist around in paranoia. After weeks of constant battle and a hardened shinobi lifestyle, it was difficult to relax and enjoy the natural environment.

Once she had dried and changed into clothing she purchased at one of the town's shops, Sakura padded down the hallway to the room. Why had she been out in the springs anyway? She tried to remember the past few hours, but they seemed like a haze. It was most likely just exhaustion, and taking advantage of a luxurious hotel's amenities seemed like something she would do. But the gap in her memory was unusual. She opened the door with the spare key Itachi lent her and tried to shrug off the awkward feeling.

The bedroom was empty, but Sakura could hear the faint sound of the shower running. She inched inside and rested on the bed, tired and worn out. She must not have napped long, because her head still ached. Sakura clenched her eyes shut and tried to think.

The soft comforter, with it's stuffed with feathers and cotton, felt wonderful. They smelled faintly of lavender, and the soothing sound of the water falling from the shower nearly lured Sakura to sleep. She sat up gingerly and looked around the room for a clue as to what they did today. They practiced Genjutsu together—she shuddered at memory of failed attempts, but at least she improved—and went somewhere else…Sakura glanced at the end table by the armchair and spotted Itachi's bag. It was usually locked shut, but it was left an inch open. Inside, there was the angle of a piece of paper. It didn't seem like him to leave exposed by accident. Or had he not expected her to return…?

Sakura took a last look at the bathroom door; Itachi was still in shower, though he usually didn't take long. She wasn't sure what compelled her to even inspect it, but the kunoichi found herself walking towards the bag and titled her head to get a better look inside. The paper turned out to be a photograph—it was one of Itachi and Sasuke with their parents, Itachi appeared around twelve, and Sasuke seven. The entire family looked young, full of life, and at piece with the world, except maybe the father, who met the camera's lenses grimly. But even he didn't seem like the type that would plot to overthrow Konoha's government. And their mother's smile radiated kindness and compassion, Sakura couldn't help but to think of her own mom. She backed away and didn't try to open the bag. The contents inside would be ruffled and Itachi would know someone had peeked in it. Besides, Sakura didn't think she could see any more photographs. It was one thing to hear about how evil the Uchiha clan was for their attempt at a coup—but it was another to see their faces—it somehow made it more real. And tragic.

Sakura heard the bathroom door click open. She had seconds to throw herself onto the armchair and reach for a magazine on the coffee table. As she pretended to be absorbed in an article about the different kinds of fungi in the world, Itachi walked out, with only a towel draped around his waist. He froze at the sight of Sakura, self-consciously reached for his plain black clothes, which had been folded neatly on the dresser. She was torn between keeping her eyes firmly on the pages or taking in the sight of Itachi. It's not like she found him as attractive as Sasuke, but it was odd seeing him so exposed. His chest still glistened with from the shower and his hair was a dark river against his toned back. Sakura forced her gaze back to the page that featured a detailed account of one scientist's passion for mushrooms.

Itachi cleared his throat and said, "I wasn't sure where you had went, you kept your chakra masked, but I assumed you didn't want to be bothered anyway. Are you feeling better?"

_Now I am, _her inner self exclaimed, but Sakura turned a page of the magazine as nonchalantly as she could and gave a slight nod. So there had been something wrong earlier. "I'm fine now, just a little tired. But I suppose you are too, after the day we had. I mean with Genjustu training and you know….other stuff."

She had hoped Itachi would elaborate more on the day's events, but he only kept his focus on the corner of the room and muttered something along the lines of "feeling fatigued as well and needing to go change." With that said, the bathroom door closed shut again, leaving Sakura more confused than ever. Could Itachi have drugged her? For someone so in control of his emotions, he seemed dodgy and almost nervous during the conversation. It didn't make sense, and he had no incentive to commit such an act, yet there was something suspicious about his behavior. Sakura stared at the magazine, blankly looking at its contents. She found Itachi too considerate to do such a thing, even drugging would be beneath Sasuke. He only acted out of necessity, so what would erasing her memory for a few hours accomplish? Tonight would still be restless for Sakura; she would sleep with one eye open until Naruto arrived.

* * *

Sorry this chapter was later than usual, I guess I didn't have as much free time as I thought. ^_^ I know it ended on a confusing note, but I'll clear that up in the next chap. =)


	9. Angur

**Chapter Nine - Angur**

* * *

Sakura's fatigued brain yearned for sleep with every passing second as she watched the sky turn into an indigo blue. The room gradually lightened, and she could see the rise and fall of Itachi's chest. He only ever looked at peace when he slept or talked about memories of his childhood. After many days, she had grown used to sleeping near him; it wasn't so awkward and strange, until now. She sighed and turned around to face the wall, which had had some interesting shapes if one looked at it for five hours like she had. There was a crack that looked like a panda riding a unicycle…or maybe she was just hallucinating at this point.

Sakura yawned again, and turned over to see Itachi sitting up in bed, tying his hair in a pony tail. She rose and felt her muscles tense. "Did you just wake up?"

Itachi paused midway through tying his hair and looked at Sakura curiously. "We were supposed to meet Naruto at dawn, no?"

"Yeah. I just didn't expect you to be so quiet," she said. Sakura tried to smooth out her own messy mane, but it refused to cooperate. So it was going to be one of those days. She didn't want to see Naruto looking like a disheveled lion while Itachi appeared with his usual immaculate style. The fact that her locks were bright pink didn't help matters on bad hair days.

"Then that means I've accomplished my job as a ninja," Itachi said dryly as he made his way to the bathroom. "We should be ready to leave in ten minutes. Naruto isn't the patient type."

"Especially when it comes to Sasuke," Sakura muttered. Although it wasn't a bad thing. Naruto would travel the ends of the world to save any of his friends. She resumed making herself look presentable; but after five minutes, she gave up on her hair. The constant turning over in bed made it impossible to deal with. Sleeping last night had been out the question. Sakura couldn't trust Itachi, or herself really, with the sudden loss of memory she experienced. But maybe she had simply lost track of time? Sakura zipped up her vest and tried not to look in the mirror that hung near the wall.

They spent the rest of the time preparing for their departure in silence. If Itachi sensed her odd behavior, he didn't make any observations. At least out loud. But Sakura didn't miss the quick glances he sent her way. She was generally more talkative, even if Itachi only responded with a few words or the occasional question of his own. Trust was clearly an issue for him, but Sakura didn't wear her emotions on her sleeve either. Before Sasuke she had used to, but after that fateful night he left Konoha, she feared the pain of another rejection. Now, Sakura knew when to retreat into herself, and this was one of those times.

"Ready?" she asked as she laced up her boots. Her bag was slung over her shoulder and she ignored the twinge of pain of her aching back. Going without sleep could be a nuisance and even interfere with her coordination, but she would fight through it.

Itachi nodded and they walked out together. The citizens of this town must be night larks—no one was up yet. Besides the faint cry of birds hunting for food, there was only silence. Sakura enjoyed it; it felt refreshing to not wake up to Naruto's loud voice, even though she missed him. She looked forward to seeing him more than ever.

"Sakura, is there something wrong?" Itachi asked. He kept his focus ahead as they walked to their meeting destination, and his voice carefully masked.

The sound of their feet hitting the cobblestone road was the only sound for a minute as Sakura thought over her answer. She knew it was only a matter of time before Itachi wondered about her. "You could start by telling me what happened yesterday," she said. There was still a part of her that was unsure, but her medical training taught her to never ignore your gut instinct.

"We had tea at a café and went over the strategy to take down Kabuto. Then you…took some time to be alone at a hot springs. You arrived with flushed cheeks and wet hair, so that's where I'm assuming you went anyway," Itachi said.

Sakura bristled with embarrassment. "Then tell me why I don't remember any of that conversation at the café. I don't even recall being there, let alone talking with you over tea. That's not exactly normal, right?"

"Unless they're drugged," Itachi said smoothly.

Sakura stopped in her tracks. "So you _did_ put something in my food. Why the hell would yo—"

Itachi cut her off, "I wouldn't make any assumptions just yet. You offered to buy tea for both of us, but your behavior seemed…off. When you brought the beverages back, I switched them when you looked over your shoulder. I figured the drug you would try to use would be one that could get me to talk."

Sakura stared at him in shock. She shut her mouth and opened it again, trying to process what she just heard. "How did you know I would even try that?"

Itachi smirked. "I spent half of my life as criminal and faced ANBU who desired nothing more than to drag my body back to the Hokage. I know to never to accept drinks from anyone and it's something you would do well to learn yourself. I understand you want to know what my plan is for Sasuke, but you must trust me, Sakura. And if you ever attempt to force information from me again, I won't be as forgiving."

The air rushed with a cool morning breeze, sending flower petals floating about, but Sakura paid no mind to it. They reached the town square where Naruto was supposed to meet them. "I'm sorry. I wanted to know if you planned on killing him if all else failed. If the next time would possibly be the last time I ever spoke to Sasuke."

"I'll do what I must for him. As you said, I'm the reason he is the way he is. Sasuke is my responsibility to take care of."

Sakura couldn't say anything. _She _ultimately convinced Itachi to confront his brother. Had they not met that fateful day, who knows what Sasuke's fate would be? But if Itachi chose to end Sasuke's life, it would be her fault as much as his.

"What did I end up saying to you?" Sakura asked.

"I'd doubt you want to know," Itachi deadpanned.

Sakura's felt her heartbeat explode through her chest. Her mind raced through all her most embarrassing moments, and deepest secrets. It's not like she had much to hide compared to Itachi, but there were still matters she wanted to keep private. Like when Kiba and Naruto drew a mustage and glasses on Sakura's face when she fell asleep in class one afternoon with permanent marker. Iruka had to dismiss class early because Sakura was so distracting, and students wouldn't stop laughing. Or when she and Ino practiced kissing pillows, imagining they were Sasuke. The _horror _if Itachi knew. If the embarrassment didn't kill her, Ino surely would for revealing their friendship's most guarded secret.

"What's that supposed to mean? Tell me what I said," Sakura said. Her fist clenched in anticipation. Even in the chilly temperature, she could feel sweat forming from the sheer stress of it all.

"And what makes you think you have the right to such information? You tried to drug me, Sakura. I hardly think you're in a position to be barking orders."

Trying not to stammer over her words, Sakura switched tactics. "What if I told you classified information that would jeopardize lives? There's stuff a good friend of mine who works in the intelligence sector confided in me. That would be put the alliance in danger if word got out."

Itachi leaned against a light-post, unfazed by her argument. "That's something you should have taken into consideration before carelessly tampering with drinks. What you and Naruto must understand is you can't be ruled by your emotions. Your motive behind this was to find out information on Sasuke."

Sakura swallowed. "So I did talk about him?"

Itachi remained silent for a moment. He seemed to be mulling over his answer. "Not in the way that you'd think."

Sakura crossed her arms. He was being so stubbornly cryptic about the whole thing. Did she confess her love for Sasuke? Itachi probably deduced that long ago anyway, before she even met him. Her affection for the younger Uchiha wasn't exactly subtle. As much as she hated to admit it, she was far from smooth when it came to her love life. Or lack of.

"I know sometimes I have my doubts about him. I just think he wants to be put out of his own misery. But then I think back to all the fun times we had as a team," Sakura said.

Itachi nodded. "Sometimes the those we love only exists in our memories. After a scarring event, people change and can't go back to their old ways. Even if Sasuke does decide to return to Konoha, he will not be the same. It could be years before he's ready to pursue a relationship."

Sakura couldn't help but to wonder what Itachi was like before the massacre, and how that trauma changed him. "Do you talk from experience?"

"Both my brother and I lost a little bit of ourselves that night. From that point on, I was nothing more than a criminal. It's easy to get lost in the lies, the deceptions. I'd forgotten what it was like to be kind," Itachi said.

A stray dog bounded across the park, looking for scraps of food from the festival. Window curtains opened and the shop bells rang as they opened for business.

"I don't think you're evil," Sakura said. "But you're not a saint. As shinobi, none of us are. Although we can lose sight of what's important, I don't think you ever forget it. Sasuke never forgot how much he loved you, even when all he cared about was revenge."

Itachi frowned. "If you knew the atrocities I committed during my time in Akatsuki and before, you wouldn't be so quick to defend me. Even as a shinobi, I always had the option to refuse the mission. To run with Sasuke and flee the country. And despite all that's happened, all the suffering Sasuke and I endured, I don't regret my actions. What does that make me?"

His question cut to the core, begging for Sakura to answer with, _crazy, murderous, hateful. _She couldn't bring herself to give that reply. Sakura turned and sat at a bench a couple of feet away. Just when she begins to enjoy Itachi's company, he reminds her again and again what kind of person he thinks of himself as. To only live for Sasuke. Nothing more, nothing less. Sakura could heal almost any wound, memorize antidotes to hundreds of poisons, but she couldn't make someone see the good in himself.

"It makes you whatever you want. It's not my job to label you. You're not a criminal, you don't need force others to see you as one anymore," Sakura said.

A rare look of surprise flashed over Itachi's face. Now, it was his turn to struggle to come up with a suitable answer. She'd never seen him at loss for words before, as he brushed his bangs back and opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again. In a way, the frustration was almost endearing. Not that Sakura would ever admit that out loud.

"Oi!" Naruto's voice sounded like it was on a mega-phone in the street. Sakura winced at the loudness of it, but turned around to greet him with a hug regardless, when she saw Hinata trailing behind him.

"_What?" _Sakura forgot about her reunion with Naruto as she stared from the Hyuuga back to him. Hinata didn't look shocked at the sight of Itachi, but she had the same cautious stance Sakura had on their first meeting. She stopped a few paces behind and brought her fingers together anxiously.

Sakura turned back to Itachi, who looked torn between placing Hinata under an immediate Genjutsu and shaking Naruto out of frustration. She cut to the chase for everyone's sake. "Ah, Naruto! It's been so long," Sakura said, simpering and trying to appear casual. She put an arm around him in one bone-crushing grip. "What the hell are you playing at? Itachi's innocence is supposed to be kept a secret. You can't just bring the whole village along." She hissed the last words into his ear while grasping his collar, concealing her anger from Hinata.

Naruto tried to back away, but Sakura's super strength prevented that, so he hung limply while he explained at full speed, "I know no one else was supposed to know but Kakashi-sensei was injured. We needed another person to aid us. Sasuke killed Kabuto and he fled the Akatsuki's base, no one knows where he is. Hinata can help us find him with her Byakugan. It was either that or I bust Karin out of jail to be our tracker, and I'd doubt she'd agree to that. And last I checked, Hinata wasn't the whole village. Didn't you get my note?"

"Note?" Sakura asked.

"I sent it yesterday," Naruto gasped as he reached for his collar.

"Sakura, you're hurting him!" Hinata took a few steps and reached out. The pinked hair ninja realized she had him on a tight grip, cutting off his air supply.

"S-sorry," she said. Sakura grabbed her other arm self-consciously, feeling worse than ever. So she would have known about this if it weren't for her pathetic interrogation technique. The shame washed over her like an ice-cold wave.

Itachi seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he sent Sakura an exasperated glance, but he kept his comment to himself. "She knows about everything?"

Naruto nodded, taking the sight of Itachi in. "Yeah. I knew I could trust Hinata with my life. She's proven herself time and time again to be loyal, and Sasuke is no joke," he said, as he sent Hinata a reassuring smile, which she returned back. "So…it's true? About your mission to eliminate the Uchiha clan?"

The older Uchiha studied Hinata with his usual intense expression; she shifted nervously, but didn't break eye contact. "It is," he said, not sparing any details and finally taking his gaze off the Hyuuga. "Does anyone else know?"

Naruto began to relax when he realized Itachi wouldn't attack him. It must be strange to talk to each other as comrades after so many years spent despising him. It had been hard for Sakura to get used to, but she imagined it was stranger for Naruto. "No one else. I just can't believe you did all that for Konoha…I would have never thought you were on our side all along. To talk to someone I always considered my sworn enemy is…weird."

"Then that means I did my job well," Itachi said. He wasn't as free with his words as he was around Sakura, but this was his first time meeting Hinata. "And what is this about Kabuto already being dead?"

Naruto quickly explained how he found out Sasuke killed Kabuto. Hinata contributed her side of the story as well; she saw Sasuke ambush Orochimaru's apprentice and nearly destroy the headquarters in their fight. She and Neji took that opportunity to escape, and she hadn't known who the victor in the fight was until Naruto received confirmation from one of his clones he sent out.

"I learned it from HQ. It caused a serious problem though," Naruto finished.

"Why? Shouldn't it be a good thing Kabuto died?" Sakura asked. She had been ecstatic when Naruto told them, thinking this could possibly help Sasuke's image with Konoha.

"Apparently not," Naruto said. With a downtrodden expression he elaborated, "Kabuto controlled Edo-Tensei, which resurrects ninja from the dead. It's a terrible jutsu and requires a sacrifice on the user's part. But even if Kabuto dies, the people he revived are still active and under his command. Now the only way to defeat the Edo-Tensei is to seal them."

"Only Sasuke didn't know that," Sakura said. Yet something wasn't adding up. "But _why _would he want to assassinate Kabuto? He took a huge risk attacking someone so powerful. He's lucky he wasn't killed himself!"

This time Hinata spoke, "Sasuke-kun said he knew about Kabuto's plan to kill him and take his eyes. He looked so enraged…I could sense his chakra, which was monstrous and unlike the boy I once knew. It was scary to see. But he saved my life in a way. If it weren't for his last-minute intervention, Neji and I wouldn't be here."

Sakura looked at Hinata curiously. Was that the reason she had agreed to accompany Naruto? Despite all the terrible things about Sasuke, did she see some potential for redemption?

"Then that means our priority should be defeating those ninja. They're dangerous and impossible to kill without the proper tools," Itachi said. He had been quiet, with a pensive look on his face as he spoke. "I can take care of them with a jutsu of mine that seals. Orochimaru was the last one to get a taste of that attack."

Sakura resisted the urge to shudder. Those kinds of comments reminded her of how powerful Itachi was. She inwardly chided herself for even attempting to spike his drink with a truth serum. "But what about Sasuke?"

"As long as he doesn't know about my existence, we can afford to delay dealing with him. At this point, he'll have to lay low and recover from his fight with Kabuto. In the meantime, I'll disguise myself in Genjutsu and we can concentrate on sealing those still under control of Edo-Tensei," Itachi said.

Naruto nodded and adjusted his headband. "I agree. As much as I want to talk some sense into that dobe, we have to deal with the mess Kabuto left first. I'm no sensor but I can track down the Edo-Tensei ninja by sending out mass clones. We can tackle the most powerful one first."

"Which is...?" Sakura asked. She hoped beyond hope it wouldn't be anyone too strong. Or worse, anyone that meant the world to her or Naruto. His parents were gone, as well as Jiraiya. They were possibilities if Kabuto so wanted it.

Naruto sighed and shut his eyes. "Nagato."

Hinata took in a sharp breath. Sakura stepped back in shock and Itachi rubbed one side of his face in irritation. "The one who commanded Pein? How irritating."

"_Irritating?" _Sakura looked at Itachi incredulously. "Going on a lame cat search mission when you're a genin is irritating. Fighting the leader of your ex-criminal organization is a lot worse than that! The only reason we won was because Naruto managed to convince Nagato to call off the murdering spree. We don't have that luxury anymore."

"It's true he is a strong opponent," Itachi admitted. "But we have to do everything we can to prevent him from wrecking havoc on Konoha again. I was tempted to interfere the last time with a disguise, but my jutsu would have been recognized. Now, Nagoto is even more formidable with unlimited chakra and immortality. He needs to be taken care of immediately."

Naruto smiled. "Heh. I can see you truly do care for Konoha. But you have a point. If we don't do something about him soon, we'll be looking at a much higher death toll rate. I want to end this war as quickly as possible."

"Do you know where Nagato is?" Sakura asked.

Naruto nodded. "One of my clones has been tracking him for a while. It's only a matter of time before the clone is killed or my chakra starts to deplete. We'll have to leave now if we want to locate him."

Sakura couldn't stop the fear that shot through her heart. The thought of facing Nagato was just as bad as confronting Sasuke, but at least the latter involved an old teammate. And the younger Uchiha was a lot less powerful. She took in sight of Hinata, who didn't appear any more thrilled, if the paleness that overtook her face was anything to go by.

Naruto noticed and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hinata, I know it would be asking a lot, since you already fought Pein before…"

The Hyuuga didn't blush or turned away from Naruto's grip. Instead, she turned and said with a small smile, "If I did it before, I can do it again. I'm ready for whatever comes our way."

Naruto grinned. "Then let's go!"

* * *

The trip to Nagato involved going across the Lightening Country; Naruto told them he was heading towards the Fire Country, being carried by Deidara. The thought of having to take care of both of the Akatsuki members didn't suit well with Sakura, but she had to have faith in Itachi's abilities. He didn't specify the type of jutsu that sealed enemies, but it if defeated Orochimaru, it must not be weak.

They trekked through the Riverwind Forest, where they could remain hidden. True to its names, rivers flowed along the paths. The water was so clear she could see coral and turquoise colored fish swimming along. Silvery stones glittered under the fresh water. It would have been quicker to go through the southern side of town, but as of the moment, both Naruto and Itachi needed to keep a low profile. Sakura bounced from tree to tree, her mind lost in thought. The past few weeks had been endless fighting; she hoped she wouldn't have to make use of her medical jutsu after this battle.

"Sakura?" Hinata sped up next to her; Itachi and Naruto were a few feet ahead. Sakura turned to the other kunoichi and gave her a gentle smile.

"I never got the opportunity to thank you for coming to my rescue, when I was captured. We were never teammates, so you didn't have much obligation to…"

"Of course we're teammates," Sakura said. "Do we not have the same goals? Defend the same village? You saved Naruto, and had hope for him when no one else did. Even me." She lowered her eyes and looked away.

"Well, you support him now, and that's all that matters. I don't think you shouldn't be so hard on yourself about it. We all did dumb stuff as kids," Hinata said. Her dark hair flew into the wind; Sakura was reminded her own long locks she cut off three years ago. She _had _grown a lot since then, but she still had a long way to go. She wished she could ask Hinata more about her feelings for Naruto, but he was too close.

"Thanks for coming for Sasuke. But shouldn't you be recovering? How is Neji by the way?" Sakura asked.

This time Hinata looked away. "I wasn't injured too much. Unfortunately, Neji wasn't as lucky. He's alive but…he lost his left eye and ear in the fight with Kabuto. I'm grateful we're still breathing after such a close call, but he won't be the same after this. I'm just glad he has an amazing team to help him."

Sakura bit her bottom lip. So Sasuke killed the same man who managed to mangle Neji to such an extent? She was thankful Naruto brought another person along; it seemed he wanted to learn his lesson from their last fight together. "I'm sorry to hear that. But I know he'll be back in shape in no time. Rock-Lee won't allow him to be depressed very long."

Hinata giggled. "Or Gai-sensei."

The thought of the two of them challenging Neji day after day made Sakura crack a smile. She often wondered how Ten-Ten put up with the three dynamic personalities, she often thought of Kakashi dealing with their old team in the same fashion. As they traveled, Sakura chatted with Hinata some more. The shy girl had always been left out when Ino and Sakura went to go shopping for uniform skirts or practice together. But the more they talked, the more Sakura realized she had a lot in common with the other girl. They both faced insecurities with being the weakest on their team, and looked up to their female teachers when they had no other role-models around. They even avoided the same street near the Hokage's tower, because of the sketchy vendor who whistled at women.

She could see a glint of Hinata's veiled courage when she finally spoke of her fight with Pein.

"I think when you're willing to die for someone, it gives you a reason to live. I care about Naruto, but I also look forward to leading my clan and abolishing some of our practices. I earned the honor I needed from my family when I confronted Pein. But I think the most important thing was gaining respect for myself," Hinata said.

Sakura was at a loss for words. She certainly had a lot to learn from the Hyuuga. "That's really sweet," she murmured.

Hinata blushed as she leapt from another tree.

"Maybe when this nightmare ends, you, Ino, and I can have a girls' night out," she said. "Not that I don't enjoy a good spar every now and then, but it's been _way _too long since I wore my favorite dress."

Hinata gently laughed. "I'd like that. I want a night where my biggest dilemma is what shade of eye shadow to put on."

"I'd like that too," Naruto said with a wistful expression as he slowed down to their pace. "Well…not the eye shadow part. But you get my drift. Anyway, there's some bad news. My clone was found and destroyed by Nagato. But I know we're close to him. We can probably track him with some help from Hinata's Byakugan." He nodded towards Hinata, who activated her bloodline.

"I wish we had Kakashi's hounds. They could sniff out anyone," Sakura said as she landed lightly onto the ground. The other three followed suit.

"We don't have a scent to give them, remember?" Naruto said. They looked around the forest; especially Hinata, who squinted her eyes in concentration. This forest was so thick Sakura could hardly see the clear blue sky; the area they stopped was shady and soft with moss and leaves.

Itachi had been silent; but he tensed and turned to Hinata. "Do you see something to your left? About four-hundred feet away or so."

The Hyuuga stared ahead for a few moments, and then said, "I think I do…"

Even though he wouldn't be able to see, Naruto craned his neck anxiously ahead. "What is it? Is it hi—"

A deafening gust of wind flew through the forest with such force and speed Sakura thought a tornado had hit. Trees flew into the air and sand and rock smashed against her skin. Oak that had been growing for centuries was pulled out of its roots as easily as a dandelion. Sakura shut her eyes and dropped down onto her knees. She could sense the others holding onto the ground just as desperately.

"What the hell is happening?" she muttered to herself as she tried to locate the source. Then as quickly as it arrived, the wind had stopped, leaving the area torn and eerily silent. The birds that had chirped seconds before fled or lay crushed on the bare ground. It was only seconds before she saw Nagato's body rise into the air and gaze down at their small team with possessed eyes. He had tracked them before they could make the first move.

"Watch out!" Naruto yelled as a large, three-headed dog bounded to them. It was one of Nagato's summons, Sakura had seen them before and felt the same dreadful fear shoot through her. The creature growled and crashed into the clearing; its teeth were sharper than the shuriken she had at her disposal. Sakura backed away out of instinct, trying to form a plan that would take care of this monster. Tsunade told her the best method was to kill the summoner, but that seemed equally impossible.

Naruto jumped into the air with a roar as he landed a Rasengan onto the dog's face. It stumbled back and shook its head away. The animal crouched low, and within seconds, formed another gruesome head.

"The more you try to kill it, the more heads it grows," Hinata said with a horrified look on her face. "How can we possibly defeat this…?"

Naruto landed between the girls, breathing heavily. "We'll have to deal with Nagato first."

From the sky, Deidara dove towards them, his hands holding the clay bird's head. Even from several hundred feet away, Sakura could hear his insane cackle. He tossed several clay bombs, which nearly blew off Naruto's leg. They dodged the bombs just in time. Sakura coughed as smoke invaded the area and clouded her vision. Her eyes stung with tears and ash.

"Easier said than done," she said with another wheeze.

"Did I get them….?" Deidara asked no one in the particular. He stood on the bird, looking over the destroyed land. Naruto and Sakura ducked behind a tree that had been cut in half from the explosion. "Damn! Looks like I missed. Ah, well there's plenty more where that came from. I'm freakin immortal, so who cares about chakra, yeah?"

Sakura resisted the urge to cough from the noxious air. She looked around for Hinata, but the kunoichi was nowhere to be found. It was anyone's guess where Itachi had gone. She closed her eyes and tried to ward off the throbbing headache. Warm blood trickled down her forehead. As this point, they would be lucky to even put a scratch on Deidara or Nagato.

"I'll need some outside help," Naruto said. His body glowed and he placed his hands together. He seemed to be in deep thought.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"Well, really from the inside, if we're going to be accurate. The Kyuubi." His chakra expanded and strengthened with every second. Sakura gazed at her teammate in wonder; he had grown quite a bit. She thought of the last time he lost control of the demon around her—she had been badly injured.

"You finally mastered the Nine-Tails." Sakura said. She couldn't help but to flash a proud smile at her friend. Kakashi would be just as thrilled, when he learned the news.

"Yep. I think that gives us an advantage, don't you think?" Naruto stood up and summoned several clones. They poofed into existence, all wearing the same factious, goofy grins. "Alright, let's hit them with everything we've got. Deidara won't be expecting my new and improved speed. Sakura, one of my clones can carry and jump in the air. You can knock him off his summon."

"But he's still immortal," Sakura said. She tried not to be pessimistic about Naruto's plans, but this one already seemed unlikely to succeed. "How can I get rid of him for goo—"

Naruto waved her question off. "Don't worry about that. He'll be taken care of. Then we can concentrate on Nagato."

It was only absolute trust in faith in Naruto that led to Sakura agreeing. If this strategy didn't work out, they would both have revealed their locations and put themselves in harms way. She wondered again where Hinata and Itachi were. What if they were hurt during the ambush? The guilt of not being there for them as a medic wormed itself into her stomach.

"Okay, let's move." Naruto's clones flew off into different directions. They shot kunai and exploding tags into the air, littering the sky with smoke and flashing metal. This would cause enough confusion with Deidara and Nagato that it would buy them some time. Two of Naruto's clones lifted Sakura and bounded up one of the trees that hadn't been demolished. She could see the massive clay bird that held Deidara, who was trying to dodge all the kunai and fling a few of his own bombs in random directions. The clones advanced higher and higher into the sky with every passing branch. She could see a glimpse of the vast forest and valleys; snow-capped mountains lay in the horizon. Sakura motioned with her hand, and they dived into the air, advancing towards Deidara. The clones released her, and she concentrated her chakra into her fist. As the Akatsuki member turned around to attack the presence behind him, Sakura had already brought her arm down upon clay bird. It exploded and Deidara was blown into the air, cursing the entire way down.

Several of Naruto's clones jumped out from hidden positions behind wood and rock, and attacked Deidara before he could even land. Sakura hit the ground and reached for her own kunai to fight, but as soon as she opened her holster, a glowing sword stabbed through their blond enemy. He gasped and tried to escape, but his body gradually faded into the air. Sakura squinted and stepped away. Was this part of Naruto's newly obtained weapons?

She looked to where the source was and let out a cry in shock. A looming, ghostly figure wielded the sword, while holding open a gourd that absorbed the artist's body. Itachi stood in the middle of the terrifying phantom, with Hinata by his side. Deidara's howls and promises of revenge grew quieter, but she could not mistake his last words: "Itachi! You asshole…I leave this world knowing I at least killed your brother….looks like I get the final laugh, yeah."

"Actually," Naruto said as he jumped next to Sakura. "Sasuke is still alive." His tone dripped with satisfaction; they had nearly lost Gaara to the Akatsuki member after all.

Deidara had no time to come up with a witty respond, but they didn't miss his widened blue eyes or his laments of his dream to kill an Uchiha. Sakura waited until he disappeared, and looked to Itachi, who stopped the jutsu at once and clutched his chest. He coughed and sunk onto his knees. The deep shade blood contrasted with his pale skin as it slid down his chin. She frowned and ran over to Itachi, who halted her with a motion of his hand and said, "We still have Nagato to contend with. Don't make yourself vulnerable."

The brusque words had scarcely left his lips when the four-headed dog and a heinous, foul looking bird carrying Nagato threw itself at them. Sakura didn't have time to think, she brought her knuckles down upon the rocky ground, which ruptured and sent jagged stones in every direction—mostly towards Nagato and his summon. The bird shut its eyes as rocks hit its pupils. Hinata and Naruto wasted no time; they dashed to the monster and landed their own jutsu on it—Naruto's Rasengan and Hinata's Hakke Kusho—their forceful barrages pushed the bird back a more feet. It prepared to fly into the air, but Itachi's spiritual summon threw large, flaming shuriken at it, hitting its wings. Sakura stood back in awe. She couldn't believe their luck. Their combined teamwork might actually stand a chance against Nagato. She smiled when she heard Hinata's scream in her direction, "_Sakura! Get out of the way!" _

The medic's eyes widened as she sensed the beastly dog advancing towards her from above. Sakura bent her knees and prepared to retreat, but the summon landed too quickly. Its small eyes only revealed rage, its teeth were stained red from blood and gore. Sakura tried not to panic and grappled into her holster for a small bomb she could set off, but the dog had already rushed to her at a breathless speed. She was too late. Sakura stood frozen as a stunned rabbit. She shut her eyes and prayed for a swift death.

Yet no attack came. Sakura cautiously opened her lids and saw that she was surrounded by an ethereal, golden shield. The faint sound of the dog diving to the walls echoed around her. In here, it almost sounded melodic. She looked to Itachi, who stood inches away from her. His breathing was labored, and his muscles shook with the effort to even stand.

"Itachi…" Sakura said. She wanted to say thank you, but aside from returning the favor, there was no way to reciprocate a saved life. Her words would only sound hollow. She swallowed and watched as the phantom brought down its sword upon the dog. It didn't miss its target—the animal suffered the same fate as Deidara and disappeared into the air, howling at the sky.

"This jutsu is the one that seals," Sakura observed. "Sasuke used something similar to this…it drains the body, doesn't it?"

Itachi merely nodded in confirmation. Beads of sweat lined his forehead in concentration to keep the jutsu activated. It shocked her to see someone who rarely displayed signs of exhaustion struggling to even breathe. This must damage the user to the very core. Sakura felt concern that went well beyond her medic mindset. "You shouldn't have used it. I can tell its killing you."

"And allowed you to have died?" Itachi's voice normally effortless tone strained over each syllable, "Besides, this is the only way to seal the Edo-Tensei."

"But _you'll _die if you keep it up much longer," Sakura said. Panic leaked into her voice, despite her effort to stay composed.

Itachi coughed and staggered forward. For a second, the summon's armor disappeared and the shield weakened, but he straightened and kept walking. "He must be taken care of at any costs," Itachi said. "Stay close to me, Sakura."

Every instinct within her screamed to persuade him to stop this technique. Sakura kept near Itachi as he made his way to Nagato, who was in a fierce dual with Naruto. He must have transferred some of his chakra to Hinata, for they were both dodging ninjutsu and retaliating with some of their own. The Hyuuga bent forward to hit the injured bird with another strike, but suddenly Nagato landed near and grabbed her with a mechanical arm that emerged out of his skin. It formed a laser, aimed at Hinata. She struggled to force her way out, and Sakura rushed over to help.

Itachi's hand wrapped around her upper arm to stop her. "As the medic, you must stay uninjured. Leave it to me."

She shook her arm away. "It'll kill her! You're nearly blind, what can you do?" It sounded brutal, but now was not the time for false kindness.

"_Sakura. _Just trust me. Susanoo sees for me,_" _Itachi's icy-smooth voice cracked with desperation and tension.

Sakura obeyed, but only out of faith for his abilities, and Tsunade's teachings. Hinata cried out in agony as the arm began to crush her ribs. This was truly the worst part about being a medical ninja—the feeling of helplessness and being unable to do anything until the battle ended. Itachi made a minute movement with his hands, and the spiritual creature swung its sword at Nagato. He moved to dodge, but Naruto landed next to him. His body was a mere blur as he kicked the Edo-Tensei forward and Itachi's summon finally stabbed the blade through Nagato's chest. He didn't gasp and writhe with pain like Deidara had, but stood still as an ancient statue. His hallow cheeks sunk into his bones as he vanished. Hinata dropped to her knees and clutched her sides as Naruto bent down to check on her.

No sooner had it finally ended when Itachi collapsed. His breathing degraded into bloody coughs. It sounded torturous to Sakura. She glanced over at Hinata, who motioned with a weak hand wave for Sakura to take care of Itachi first. Even she could see his condition was critical. Naruto himself appeared to be in good health, his body stilled glowed with the after-effects of chakra usage. It had been sheer luck that saved them, had Naruto not mastered his tailed beast, he wouldn't have stood much of a chance with Nagato.

Sakura focused her attention back at Itachi, who grew paler every second. Blood flowed from his hands with every hack, falling to the ground and sinking into the soil. It truly looked like he was dying. Sakura kneeled down and placed a hand on Itachi's shaking shoulders. "I have to work on repairing your injuries immediately. Please lay back down," she said. Sakura kept her tone professional and cool. She blocked the outside world away as Itachi slumped down into unconsciousness. The fear, adrenaline from the battle, even Naruto and Hinata took a back seat to Sakura. She centered her chakra into her hands and trailed them gently down Itachi's chest. She felt for his pulse and could feel it webbing down. Now the fear that struck her was real—the possibility that Itachi could die if Sakura failed to heal him in time.

Sakura leaned forward to Itachi's chest and could hear his lungs struggling to take in air. They were filled with blood. She decided to concentrate her efforts on removing the fluid and pressed her hands down on his chest once again. With use of her chakra, she forced the blood to evaporate. It was a long, tricky process that even Tsunade still struggled with. Sakura neck ached and her own wounds stung for attention, but she didn't relent. From her peripheral, she could see Naruto tending to Hinata. Her ribs were probably broken, and with Naruto's poor chakra control, it would take twice as long to make any kind of progress.

After an hour of easing the blood from Itachi's lungs, Sakura held her breath as she felt for Itachi's pulse. It still sounded dangerously erratic, and had worsened over the last hour. Sakura held back a cry of frustration as she took out a kunai and cut open Itachi's shirt. Along with the lung problem, the jutsu had damaged his heart as well. She hoped Sasuke wasn't using this horrid technique as she placed a trembling hand on Itachi's cool chest. It felt defined and strong—yet contained the heart of an elderly man. Sakura took a deep breath and retied her hair, trying to think of a game plan to tackle this problem. She wouldn't let him die here. Tsunade's student did _not _fail. Even so, Itachi's skin felt cold like a corpse's. He hadn't stirred since Sakura began healing him. She watched him in fascination for a moment. It was strange seeing a powerful, untouchable person in such a vulnerable state. Sakura realized then, how much she didn't want to lose Itachi. He had been the only one who believed in her and held the same unconditional love for his brother she and Naruto had. Despite the horrific mission he had to complete, he still never held any ill will to Konoha. And the worst part of it was Itachi had kept his summon up longer than necessary to protect the kunoichi. Sakura returned the favor by calling him useless because of his inability to see. She would never forgive herself if he died. _I never even got to say_ _thank you. _

Sakura pushed the emotions to the back of her mind and decided the best method would be to pump some electricity to his heart. Perhaps the shock would trigger a regular rhythm; as long as it kept beating, that's all that mattered. This jutsu must have damaged every major organ of the body. Sakura kept her palm firmly against Itachi's chest. She had to use her chakra with enough precision to force just a bit of electricity. Too little would achieve nothing. Too much would cause instant death. Her arms ached from chakra usage and her neck muscles gave a painful spasm.

Sakura could detect Naruto's presence, but she didn't take her eyes off of Itachi. Naruto stood near her and asked quietly, "will he be okay, Sakura?"

Her lips trembled—from exhaustion or emotion, she didn't know—Sakura's voice was nearly inaudible as she replied, "I don't know." It was hard to believe that just this morning, she suspected Itachi of poisoning her. And now she garnered every once of her strength to save him. _Please don't leave me._

Naruto remained silent. He held Hinata in his arms, who was also unconscious. Even if she hadn't glanced up in a while, she could tell the sunset was upon them. The burnt leaves and crushed rocks bathed in the orange light. After another hour, Sakura thought color was returning to Itachi's cheeks, her own heart fluttered happily.

_It could just be false hope, _Sakura told herself.

With bated breath, she leaned against her chest and listened for his heartbeat. It sounded gloriously regular, each solid beat a testament to her medical skills. Sakura let out a cry of relief that sounded like something between a laugh and sob. She didn't care how deranged she appeared. With rapid movement, she checked the rest of his vitals and determined Itachi would be okay for the night. She would examine his lungs and heart first thing in the morning. Sakura allowed herself to roll her neck back and felt her muscles burn with protest. She moved to stand up, but stopped herself. This was her chance to take a look at his eyes; Itachi would be unconscious for at least another five hours or so. Sakura decided a few minutes to spare a simple glance wouldn't harm anyone. She lifted an eyelid with the delicate movement of her fingers and placed another hand on his temple. She could detect a lot of accumulated nerve damage, most likely from his Sharingan. His vision must be severely impaired; she was surprised he could even see at all. Itachi had to be using his bloodline to only see chakra figures, nothing more. In order to even begin to understand the extent of this damage, Sakura would need a lot more time. Along with willing and conscious Itachi.

She stood up and shakily walked over to Hinata and Naruto, who both leaned against a tree trunk. Naruto had his arm around Hinata, keeping her from falling to either side and slept soundly. Sakura woke him up gently with a tap on his shoulder, and he opened his eyes. "Itachi….how is he?"

"He'll be fine for the night. Although when he wakes, I'll have to give him some news he won't be fond of. Now, I'm going to examine Hinata. Help me lay her down," Sakura whispered. Naruto nodded, still groggy, and eased the Hyuuga onto his jacket, which he removed previously. Her condition was much less serious than Itachi's, but still required a medic's attention. Sakura's work felt easier this time around, even though she desperately craved sleep. The night wore on as she healed each broken rib and soothed the inflamed muscles. Neither Hinata or Itachi would be feeling like a million ryo tomorrow, but they would be alive. Naruto remained awake and watched Sakura's progress with interest.

"Thank you for this, Sakura," he said. "People tell me how far I've advanced, but I could never do what you do. Seeing you heal…it's like magic to me."

Sakura chuckled. "We all have our strengths. I think all we want is recognition for our hard work. But I love to give people one more chance at life, when all shinobi seem to tear it down. There's something beautiful about bringing someone from of the brink of death, or telling parents that their injured child is going to survive. But you've never had it easy, Naruto. You've earned your spot as Hokage through your own talents and grace."

Naruto's removed his blood-stained headband and rested himself against the tree trunk. "To quote Ero-Sennin, I'm about as graceful as a drunken toad. But thanks anyway," he said with a yawn.

Sakura resisted the urge to yawn herself. She had just finished up healing Hinata's ribs, and now her body commanded sleep or else. It had been almost two nights since Sakura had slept. Hours since her last meal, yet she hadn't felt a pang of hunger. Itachi lay a couple of feet away. It would have been unwise to move him and risk further injury to his organs. She wished there was some way she could make the ground softer for them, but Naruto's jacket was the best that could be done.

"I'll keep watch," Naruto said. Sakura shook her head to protest but the blond interrupted, "No, you've worked hard. You deserve some rest, especially if you still have to check on them tomorrow."

Sakura couldn't deny this truth—not that she had much motivation to—and lay against the trunk. It was only now that she could appreciate the cool wind soothing her skin, and the sound of crickets that beat just like the heart she saved tonight. Somehow, as exhausted as she was, sleep refused to grant her mind some blissful peace. Sakura listened to the sound of a nearby river, its currents flowing as quickly as her thoughts.

* * *

If you look hard, you can find the moment where Itachi switched the drinks in the previous chapter. ;)


	10. Levatio

**Chapter Ten- Levatio **

* * *

When Hinata awoke to a piece of bark jutting into her back, she knew it wasn't going to be a good day. She could smell burnt wood, ash…and meat? Chouji was the master chef when it came to anything barbeque, but as she opened her eyes, she saw Naruto cooking a fish over an open fire. It crackled and glowed. Sparks flew out from various directions, and Hinata stared at it, entranced for a few moments.

Naruto caught her eye and grinned sheepishly. "I hope you like salmon. This took me forever to catch; you'd think mastering the power of the Kyuubi would give me amazing reflexes. I mean it did. But apparently not enough to grab a fish in less than ten minutes."

He turned over the stick the salmon had been unceremoniously shoved into; it would be pitiful if Hinata weren't so hungry. The dead fish gazed back at her with tortured eyes. She took in a breath and flinched at the sudden onslaught of pain within her ribs. She tenderly touched the area and nearly yelled out. Her thoughts went back to the memory of yesterday—the battle with Nagato and Deidara had turned sour quickly.

"Are Sakura and Itachi alright?" Hinata asked. She didn't know yet whether to add a _san _to Itachi's name. On one hand, his power commanded respect, as well as his sacrifice for Konoha. On the other hand, it was difficult to simply erase an image of a psychopath she thought he was. Kurenai told their team of the battle with Itachi, he managed to school her own sensei in Genjutsu—which was no easy feat. Not to mention his heinous goal to capture and kill Naruto. Since then, Hinata only associated Itachi's name with fear and misery. She was thankful they hadn't been able to track him down during their mission capture him and lure Sasuke back to Konoha. The notion of Itachi's innocence would take some getting used to.

Naruto affirmed with a nod of his head. "Itachi had been badly hurt from overuse of his Susanoo. It drains the life force of the person who uses it, I saw Sasuke do it once during our last battle with him. Itachi nearly died, but Sakura saved him at the last minute. She's an amazing medic. I don't know where we'd be if it weren't for…ah! Damn!" The salmon had been cooking peacefully until it caught on fire. The flames engulfed the tail as Naruto panicked and shook the stick, extinguishing the fire.

"Well…I hope you like the taste of burnt fish," Naruto sighed as he handed the fish over to Hinata.

She tried not to wrinkle her nose at the stench of scorched salmon, and smiled politely. Naruto was many things, but a stellar cook was not one of them. Hinata had no idea how to eat it on a stick, so she merely nibbled on it. She looked across the field and saw Itachi, who lay asleep (or unconscious) a few feet away. Sakura leaned over him, gliding her hand down his chest.

Hinata slowly stood up and hobbled over to the other kunoichi. Sakura turned to her and said with a look of surprise, "I didn't expect you to be walking. Sit next to me, I'm just checking on Itachi again and I'll take a look at you. How are your ribs? I'm not sure if you remember, but Nagato broke them."

Hinata swallowed a bit of the salmon. She could hear Naruto's faint curses as he attempted to cook another fish. "I don't think I could ever forget," she said with a bitter laugh. "But they're feeling better. We're probably going to need a few more days to recuperate. You did a good job taking care of everyone, but have you slept at all?"

Sakura's hands emitted an emerald green glow as she healed Itachi. Up close, he looked exhausted, and dried blood was still caked down his chin and eyes. Hinata felt thankful her bloodline wasn't cursed with such a dangerous power. "Around four hours. Itachi is still in near critical condition. He had a lot of internal damage, heart and lung problems and all that fun stuff," Sakura said with a heavy sigh.

Hinata frowned and placed the half-eaten fish down. She knew she should be regaining her energy, but she hadn't had much of an appetite since her capture. Food tasted bland and only reminded her of that terrible, starved time in the Akatsuki lair. "How do you know he can be trusted, Sakura?"

The medic froze, as though the thought had occurred to her several times already. She spoke slowly, choosing each word carefully. "I don't think there's any way to truly know. We have Sasuke's word, as well as Tobi's. Itachi himself confirmed the Uchiha plotted to overthrow Konoha. But more than that, I don't get a malicious vibe from him. He saved my life, when he could have kept his survival a secret."

Hinata watched as Sakura continued to gloss over Itachi's chest, particularly the area his heart was located at. "Maybe he wanted to be found. A part of him could have felt guilty over the way his brother turned out," she said. "He _did _help defeat Nagato. It's just weird, how the tables have turned with Sasuke. Now he's the bad guy, and Itachi was always good."

"I don't think it's that simple, Hinata." Sakura finally leaned back and stretched her arms. Her petal pink hair cascaded down her shoulders; since the war began, no one had much time for a trim.

The Hyuuga smirked lightly. "It never is," she said, thinking of Neji in his darker days.

"Hey!" Naruto said as he walked over, carrying another fish. "Sakura-chan, you must be hungry, have this." He handed her over the food, which didn't look at badly burnt as Hinata's.

"Erm…I'm okay," Sakura said, eying the fish. She smiled politely and stood up. "I'm going to the nearest town to pick up some medical supplies. I'll get food along the way. A good chunk of this forest is gone from the battle, so there's not much opportunity to hunt. It scared all the game away."

Hinata couldn't help but to agree. At least a mile in every direction, trees had been uprooted and soil destroyed. The air still smelled of ash, and it had been silent, still. Even the river nearby appeared empty and shallow. She thought of all the animal's nests and homes that had been suddenly demolished in the span of a few seconds. For their chunnin exams, they had to venture out in the dreaded Forest of Death. But maybe its humans,and their obsession with power thatshe had to fear the most.

Naruto shrugged and bit into the fish. "Oh, you don't want a taste of some of my mouth-watering breakfast? Your loss," he said with a wink. "Will Itachi be okay here?"

At that very moment, Itachi had grunted in pain and raised himself up. He lay propped on his elbows as he stared around in a daze. Hinata tensed and pressed her thin lips together. A flash of surprise past over Sakura's features—she hadn't expected him to be up—she knelt down beside him and murmured a few things to him. Itachi kept his face impassive as he listened, but somehow, Hinata could tell he wasn't pleased with whatever news the kunoichi had for him. He reminded her of her own father, Hiashi, who always made sure to keep his emotions hidden, even from his own family.

Sakura shut her eyes and rested a hand on his shoulder as she spoke. After a moment, she rose and began walking to the east side of the clearing. "I'll be back in a couple of hours with supplies. If there's any news regarding…well anything at this point, then let me know," she said with a wave and went on her way.

Hinata looked after her and back to Itachi, who kept his focus on where Sakura had been just moments ago. There was something odd about their relationship. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it seemed Sakura wasn't letting on more than she knew about the Uchiha brothers. Hinata vowed to find out more when Naruto spoke up. "From what my clones have gathered, it looks like a lot of the Edo-Tensei have disappeared. Nagato was our biggest problem."

Hinata frowned. "But how can they be gone? Have they been sealed by some other means?" From Itachi's furrowed eyebrows, she knew he was wondering the same thing.

"If the revived person can come to terms with their past and current situation, they leave this world on their own terms," Naruto explained. "It's confusing, I'm don't really understanding it myself. But it makes our job a lot easier, right? And I'll have to shut down my clones soon though, or I'll run out of chakra."

Itachi rested an arm upon his knee. "Then that just leaves Sasuke," his said. He sounded so weakened and worn Hinata wasn't sure if he would be able to defeat his brother if it came down to a fight. She had heard Sakura's fierce words about Itachi being blind, but could this be true? Now that Hinata thought about it, there were times when she saw Itachi squinting or holding his head to the side, as if trying to use his auditory senses instead. His hearing was remarkable, as well as his chakra sensing skills if he could detect Nagato before anyone else.

"And Tobi," Naruto growled. Hinata bit the side of her lip and tried not to think about it.

A deer dashed at the end of the clearing, leaving a trail of dust and leaves behind. A blue jay flew by and landed on the ground, pecking for food. Soon enough, new life would grow here again. No matter how devastating the damage, there was always hope for change and renewal.

Hinata turned and spoke to Itachi, "Thank you for everything you've done so far." She wanted to say more about how the Hyuuga had begrudgingly respected the Uchiha as the stronger clan, but she had no idea how Itachi would even react. Was he proud of his family? Ashamed? Although her father wasn't perfect, he would _never _plan to betray Konoha.

Itachi nodded stiffly. It was clear he didn't trust her as much as Naruto or Sakura, which hurt a little, despite logic behind it. Hinata glanced over her shoulder, Naruto had trudged away to capture another fish for himself. She could hear the sounds of splashing as he summoned clones to help him out. She turned back around and tried not to look nervous. But she couldn't help it, Itachi made her jittery. Hinata could only think of Kurenai and how shaky she was days after her encounter with Itachi and Kisame. Did he know she was Kurenai's student?

"When you saw Sasuke, did he use the same jutsu as I did yesterday?" Itachi asked suddenly. He kept his eyes on her, as though looking for any signs of lying.

Hinata answered back immediately, "He did. It ended up clashing with Kabuto's own powers. I think that's what ended up taking down the whole building, actually." She couldn't bring herself to look back at Itachi, but she knew he hadn't broken eye contact. Even if his vision no longer worked, Hinata couldn't help but to feel he could see right through her.

"He mastered Susanoo then," Itachi said quietly to himself. "Sasuke will go down the same path as me."

Hinata didn't know what to say. "Perhaps Sakura could try to heal you…?"

Itachi cut her off, "No. It wouldn't work."

Beyond the clearing, a rabbit jumped by, holding a piece of flower in its mouth. Naruto could be heard arguing with one of the clones, who apparently caught a poisonous fish that made his skin swell. His loud voice carried across the area.

"You should trust her," Hinata said. "Sakura is quite talented. We're pretty good proof of that, right?" She gestured to her ribs, which did feel a lot better as the morning went on.

Itachi brushed a dark strand behind his ear at the force of a sudden gust of wind. "She is indeed. I don't doubt her skills. In fact, if it were possible for a healer to repair my eyes, she would be the first person I would go to, after Tsunade-san."

Hinata was struck by the respect he had for both women. It painted such a contrasting picture of what Kurenai and Asuma had described. She knew Itachi had been merely playing his part, but he was a good actor. Almost too good.

"If Sasuke-kun ends up with her, then he'll in good hands then," Hinata said. She figured it would be the perfect thing to say—it showed she had hope for Sasuke and respect for Sakura.

Yet Itachi's tone seemed forlorn as he replied, "Yes, I suppose my brother will be very lucky. Let's hope he doesn't throw that chance away again. It's important to appreciate the good, hardworking people in your life who would do anything to see you happy, and Sakura is certainly that."

Hinata raised her eyebrows. Itachi sounded almost bitter about the prospect of Sakura ending up with Sasuke. He had sacrificed more than anyone should for his brother, so it only made sense for him to feel resentment at the fulfilling life Sasuke threw away, but something still seemed…strange.

"My cousin Neji used to only think of revenge and blamed me for the death of his father," Hinata said. She ran her tongue along her teeth, thinking back to those days. "He even tried to kill me at the Chuunin Exams. Not that my father would have been sad to see me go, as long as he had my sister to train." She closed her mouth abruptly. She hadn't meant to reveal that much information.

Itachi seemed to understand as he nodded and said, "The shinobi lifestyle is hard, no matter what clan you're born into. You lose sight of everything that's important to you. Friends, family, mentors. Their relevance to you disappears and it becomes about power and dominating others."

Although Hinata thought his words rang true, it was funny hearing it from someone who usually overpowered ninja in battle. But maybe that's why he could talk about it so easily, as if it were his own life. Had her father suffered the same fate? He would never admit it, but if only her mother was alive to talk to…

"Okay guys, let's hope Sakura brings a lot of food back. Because I'm done for the day." Naruto said. He trudged back from the river, soaking wet. One of his clones shivered so much he poofed out of existence. Naruto rolled his eyes and wrung out his jumpsuit.

Hinata couldn't hold back her giggle; he looked like a wet, golden puppy. "I'm guessing you didn't have much luck?"

The look Naruto returned explained it all, and Hinata laughed even more. Itachi just shook his head, but the smallest smile played on his lips.

* * *

Sakura glided through the crowded market place, a mission set in mind. She had successfully resisted the temptation to indulge in one of the ice cream bars, which served her favorite flavor, strawberry-banana. A pastel-tainted stall sold shimmering hair bands on display; one apple-green barrette would have gone perfectly with her eyes. She wished Ino was with her—they would have a blast shopping for accessories to wear on their day off. The smell of grilled chicken and barbeque wafted through the air, and Sakura's stomach growled. She had bought bags of fruit and vegetables with the little savings she had left. They could hunt for meat as they traveled.

As Sakura made her way through the many booths, she thought to her conversation with Itachi this morning. She had told him that if he used Susanoo again, he would most certainly die. She could detect traces of medicine in his system, but only a blood test could confirm it. It had been a taxing effort on her own body to bring Itachi back from death's door, so she could only hope he would listen to her advice. He didn't look thrilled at the thought of losing his most powerful weapon, but what else could she do?

Sakura pushed the memory from her mind and stopped to purchase a plate of rice and chicken, admiring the bustling scene around her. It reminded her of Konoha and the festivals they held every few months. Sakura shut her eyes and let the warm sunlight bask over her; for a few seconds, she was back at home enjoying the day with her friends and family.

"And all two-hundred prisoners went missing two nights ago! It happened near the Fire Country to be precise. It's the strangest thing," a low-pitched woman who stood in front of her in line said.

Her friend replied with a note of fear, "So they escaped?"

Sakura opened her eyes and turned her head to slightest. She hadn't been out in the public since her stay at the hotel, so this would be news to her. She fiddled with her bag strap and listened in, hoping their conversation would reveal more information.

"That's what one would think, naturally. But it's not so clear-cut anymore. There are stories based on evidence and even some eye-witnesses that they were forcibly removed from their cells. The guards were all killed, or so delusional they could hardly speak," the woman continued. She pushed her wavy black hair back over her shoulder.

Her friend, a blonde teenager wearing a baby-blue dress, gasped. "Kidnapped? What would someone want to do with a bunch of prisoners?"

The wavy-haired woman looked at her companion as though the answer was obvious. Sakura couldn't see her face, but apparently the girl still didn't understand after a few seconds. She leaned in closer, trying not to look like an eavesdropper. They moved up a few paces as the line continued, it would be their turn to order soon.

"That ninja. The legendary one who has been causing so much trouble for the shinobi nations. _Orochimaru,_" the woman whispered his name as though it was cursed.

The blonde girl choked on the smoothie she had been drinking. "Orochimaru? I heard he had died months ago."

The other woman shushed her. "Don't say his name so loudly, child. You don't want to be associated with such rumors and risk making enemies of his caliber. Leave that to the ninja who can actually fight him. But one thing is for certain—whoever did it was no weakling."

The stopped talking as their turn to order came up. Sakura rubbed the back of her neck, trying to absorb the information she had just heard. They were mere civilians, what could they possibly know about the Sannin? Itachi had guaranteed he died, and after seeing what his Sunsanoo could do, she didn't question it. Kabuto would be her next guess, but according to Naruto and Hinata, Sasuke had killed him. Sakura thought back to Tobi—it would make sense for it to be him. He had lost Kabuto as an ally, and the alliance knew that. The Zetsu clones were numerous, yet still weak. He no longer had any control of the Edo-Tensei ninja and they were disappearing anyway. The only reason she could think to kidnap prisoners would be to experiment on them or gain them as followers.

"Ma'am? What will you be having today?" the shop owner asked. His fingers tapped the counter impatiently. Behind him, cooks prepared sizzling chicken and fried noodles.

Sakura pursed her lips and stepped back. She didn't have time to eat; the others needed to be warned about this. The kunoichi turned and without another word, started back to the forest.

* * *

An hour later, when Sakura finally finished relaying the conversation she heard, she was surprised to see that no one looked too concerned. Naruto bit into an apple, and leaned back as he said, "I don't think there's too much to worry about. Honestly, after hearing about Kabuto's death, ending this war within the next few days seems like a real possibility at this point. I doubt some missing prisoners have anything to do with Tobi. Why would he want them?"

Itachi looked on, nodding in silent agreement. Hinata pressed her fingers together and offered, "I know it sounds scary, Sakura. But it could just be a coincidence. They might have all planned the whole thing out and escaped."

"Yeah, you said the guards were all killed, right?" Naruto asked.

Sakura paced around; she knew there was a chance the whole thing could be a random occurrence, but her gut feeling told her otherwise. She tilted her head up at a cloud that strangely resembled Rock Lee's bowl haircut. "I don't think so. What if Tobi is planning something? We shouldn't dismiss this so easily," she said, crossing her arms.

"Even if he was, what can we do? And these were civilian criminals that disappeared. They're no match for even a competent genin," Itachi said. "They're next to useless against the alliance, as far as I'm concerned."

That comment made Sakura think, her eyes lit up with an idea. "What if he plans on using them for Edo-Tensei?"

Hinata played with the zipper on her vest. "Could he be capable of such a jutsu?" She looked as though the thought alone frightened her, it scared Sakura more than she'd like to admit as well.

Naruto finished the last of his apple. "I don't think it's that easy," he said between bites, "otherwise anyone could do it. Only someone who trained under Orochimaru and knew his power could pull it off. And what's the point of raising the same people back from the dead? He'd get a pretty similar result as Kabuto, and we all know how that went."

Sakura couldn't deny the truth behind his words, yet she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. The timing fit in too perfectly. But they brought up valid points, what could she possibly do about it anyway? She sighed and said, "I think I need to be alone to think more on it." Truthfully, there was a small part of her that wondered if Naruto just brushed off her fears because of all her emotional blunders she'd made in the past. A couple of years ago, he would have agreed with her. What was the point of being book-smart if no one took her seriously?

Sakura walked from the clearing and made her way through the trees that had been spared Nagato's wrath. It was so quiet she could only hear the solid beat of her heart. After a few minutes, she came across a steaming hot spring. Sakura thought back to Itachi's mention of her visit to one, and her eyes filled with tears at the embarrassing memory. Of course he wouldn't care to listen to her opinion either, she tried to drug him in some foolish attempt to get information. Sakura exhaled and removed her shoes to put her feet in the water. It glittered under the sun, and her tense muscles relaxed as the water lapped at her legs. She peered around; the spring was surrounded by boulders and trees that shielded her view and gave her privacy. Sakura considered bathing here; her skin felt grimy, but she was too tired to even budge. She lay down and rested her head on a pile of leaves. Four hours of sleep was not enough to make up for the exhausting days she had. Sakura closed her eyes. _Only a short nap, _she told herself.

"Sakura?"

When she opened her eyes, it came as a complete surprise to see the sky a darker shade of blue, and Itachi standing near her. He had his head tilted to the side, and held a bag of the strawberries she'd bought earlier. "If had been a few hours, we were just worried. I brought you some food," he said.

Sakura nodded, and realized how hungry she was as she took the strawberries. Her legs were still in the spring. She pulled them out, thinking it was a good idea not to have bathed in here after all. She didn't want to even think about how awkward Itachi catching herwould be.

Sakura cleared her throat and popped a strawberry in her mouth. Itachi stood there uncertainly, as if wondering what to do. "Do you still need to be alone…?"

"No, no," she motioned for him to sit. "I just needed rest. I've been asleep for hours, haven't I?"

Itachi took a seat next to her. The color had returned to his cheeks, and he smelled fresh, like he had taken a bath in a hot spring himself. His hair was slightly damp and pulled in his usual neat pony-tail. "Yes, you have. But we figured you needed to regain your strength. Are you ready to leave tomorrow morning?"

Sakura swallowed nervously. "For Sasuke? How are you feeling?"

Itachi nodded. "I've been a lot better. You did excellent work, healing me. I never got to thank you properly for it. Susanoo takes a huge toll on the user, but I've seen you already figured that out."

Up ahead, stars were clearly visible and numerous. It was easy to forget how many there were in populated cities like Konoha. The trees were dark silhouettes against the night sky. Sakura leaned back and watched as she said, "it does. I worked hard to save you because you saved _me _against Nagato's summon. That was the only reason you had to keep Susanoo up as long as you did. The guilt would have eaten me alive if you died. Not to mention I would have been mauled to death if you hadn't intervened at the last second. So…thank you." She smiled and looked away.

Itachi rested a hand on one knee, which Sakura was beginning to find was his favorite pose. "It was a group effort," he said, shrugging.

Sakura grinned. "See? Teamwork isn't so bad."

Itachi scoffed. "Don't forget, I was ANBU captain. I know a thing or two about working together."

Sakura had forgotten he was part of ANBU. "I wonder if the massacre hadn't happened, would you have been our sensei? I'm sure Sasuke would have loved that." She chewed on another strawberry. They were in season, so they tasted sweeter than usual.

"I'm not too certain Sasuke would be a fan of that. He was sometimes envious of me. Our father showered me with attention, a little too much at times, and this led to tension between my brother and I. I'd doubt I'd make a good sensei to him anyway," he said thoughtfully. "I'd always be worried about his well-being on missions. It wouldn't be good for either of us."

Sakura smiled, thinking of how true that was. Sasuke even harbored jealously of Naruto before he left Konoha. "I suppose it's not a good idea to talk about what-ifs. It's not like we can go back and time to find out, right?" she said. Though it saddened her more than she wanted to admit, the thought of so many lives ruined over mere grudges and miscommunications.

"Right," Itachi said softly, as though thinking the same thing. "I would have liked to see your progress had I stayed." He studied her, as though finally seeing her for the first time. His charcoal eyes locked with hers a little longer than necessary.

Sakura blushed. She wasn't used to this much attention from another guy, unless it was Naruto, Rock Lee…or her dad. It didn't boost her ego to admit it, but her experience with males left a lot to be desired. She smoothed out her skirt compulsively. Itachi was just being nice and professional. Mentorish. "Y-yeah. Thanks. I would probably be a lot better at Genjutsu," Sakura said, trying not to let her nervousness to leak through her composure. _Be smooth. _

Itachi chuckled. "True. Although I blame Kakashi for not taking advantage of the potential you had. He's no amateur at Genjutsu, as I've learned from my fights with him."

Sakura stared at the hot spring, illuminated by moonlight. Nighttime had fallen, which only added to the awkwardness of this situation. What if Naruto walked over here? What did this look like? She wanted her inner-self to tell her to get it together, but even within in her own mind, she was nowhere to be found. "I enjoy being a medic. There's no better feeling in the world than mastering that art and using it to save lives. Training under Tsunade was such an honor, that I got over the whole situation with Kakashi-sensei. I understand where he's coming from because it's hard to see any potential in me when I'm competing with Sasuke and Naruto." She wanted to keep prattling on—silence made things too intimate. A firefly danced around her arm.

Itachi however, remained quiet and only gave a small "hm" in reply. Sakura couldn't help but to notice he was closer to her than usual; his body leaned in and his eyes ever wavered from her own. She thought of all the times he would gently touch her shoulder or the small of her back. They had seemed insignificant at the time, but now her heart lurched at the thought of each memory. Life could be cruel—she dreamed of a situation like this with Sasuke. How many times had she thought of the perfect script, every word romantic, filled with passion, and just _right? _It was what she still wanted, more than anything else.

She felt Itachi's hand glide along her cheek. Sakura' breath hitched as she looked at him. "Then Kakashi is a fool," Itachi said.

She was too afraid to even breathe; a part of her wanted to stop it, to end things while it was still somewhat friendly. Another part lured her in with curiosity she couldn't resist. Sakura placed her own hand upon his own. Itachi closed his eyes, and tilted his head to meet her lips. He kissed her with such gentleness that it felt as a light as feather. Before she could stop herself, Sakura leaned in and deepened the kiss. Seconds later they broke apart, breathing the cool air deeply. Itachi's hand ran through her hair and he lightly grazed the delicate skin of her neck. Sakura inched her head back, allowing him more room. She supported herself on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"I've wondered if you smelled as sweet as the flower you're named after," Itachi murmured, trailing kisses along her neck. "I wasn't disappointed."

Sakura blushed at the compliment, feeling overwhelmed and unguarded. What he was doing felt so amazingly good; who knew her neck could be so sensitive? They broke away and looked at each other, each one trying to figure out what the other was thinking. Sakura didn't realize this could make her feel so out of breath, as her chest rose and fell rapidly. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. Itachi's hand lingered around her cheek; it felt cool against her flushed skin. This time, he didn't meet her eyes, as though scared of what he would find. Sakura had never seen Itachi look more vulnerable.

Her own lips trembled. "Itachi…when did you start to feel this way?" Although it seemed obvious, she wanted to hear him say it.

Itachi removed his hand from her hair; which Sakura almost missed. "Your dedication to my brother, Konoha, and your own skills as a kunoichi impressed me. You convinced me to gather the courage to face Sasuke, no matter what happens. And…" he paused, searching for the right words. "When that summon attacked you, I felt genuine fear for you. It's been a long time since I experienced that feeling for anyone besides Sasuke."

Sakura was at a loss for words. It was too touching. She bit her lip and tried to come up with something to say, but her mind felt like mush. Itachi licked his lips, and then asked, "But how do you feel, Sakura?" His smooth voice cut through the silence like a knife.

This was the question Sakura had been dreading. She took a deep breath, trying to sort through her thoughts. Would Sasuke ever tell her the things Itachi just said? She may never hear those kinds of words from the younger Uchiha. "I really don't know. You know how I feel about…him. This wouldn't be right. You're so kind, Itachi. But I can't betray Sasuke like this. Being with you would only make things more complicated. I would always wonder about what if would have been like with Sasuke. _Everything _I've done has been for him. I can't just give up on him like this. It kills me to say it, but I wish I had this moment with your brother instead." Even as the words left her mouth, Sakura hated herself for it. But she had to be honest; it would be an insult to Itachi to be anything less.

But it still broke her heart to see Itachi so hurt, despite his effort to conceal his feelings; he looked like he had been slapped. His frown deepened and he bowed his head. "Are you sure you're not in love with the idea of Sasuke?"

Sakura blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

With a sigh, Itachi said, "It sounds like you've painted a picture of what the ideal life with Sasuke would be like. But that image you've created is nothing more than a memory of the person he used to be. We see what we want to see, not the reality of it."

"And the potential of what he _could _be," Sakura said. "He can still change, you said it yourself. There's always hope."

Itachi's eyes narrowed, as if trying to understand her reasoning. "He tried to kill you, Sakura. Could you ever love someone who committed such an act? Do you really think that's the best you deserve?"

His questions hit her insecurities like a well-aimed kunai. Sakura crossed her arms and tried not to let her voice quiver as she explained, "I could try. Besides, there is power in forgiveness. Naruto wants him back as a friend, why should I be the only one getting grilled for my choices? That time at Kage Summit, Sasuke was deranged. Not himself. He'll be back to the old ways as soon as you talk to him and we'll all be able to move on with our lives, alright?" She tried not to sound defensive, but she knew people judged her for her lingering feelings for Sasuke. But as soon as he turned a new leaf, everyone would forget about it and he would love her for being so supportive. What was so difficult to understand about that? But three years ago, a seed of doubt was planted in her mind. It grew into a weed that strangled her feelings and whispered to her over and over again that loving Sasuke was a mistake—one that could cost her life.

Itachi didn't seem to share her views, but he didn't push the issue further. "Very well then. I can only hope Sasuke does listen to my advice and changes for the better. After that…I simply hope he cares for you like I would."

Sakura wanted to tell him to stop. Ever word out of Itachi's mouth made her rethink her decision. That kiss had been her first—and it felt so right, like how a kiss should feel. And when she talked to Itachi, she always felt that bit of excitement and curiosity, like their conversations could go on forever. He seemed so encouraging when she talked about learning Genjutsu, giving her confidence Sasuke never did… The warm feeling between them frosted over, suddenly she felt cold and sick. But what would people think of her? Itachi was still seen as a criminal and wanted to remain that way. The sad yet undeniable truth was that they had no future together.

Sakura stood up with shaky legs. A few hours ago, she saw Itachi as a brotherly figure. Yet now, she felt like so naïve for missing all the signs. She stared at the flickering stars for a moment. "Itachi, maybe I am a fool for still loving Sasuke even after everything he's done. And I'm not sure I could ever move on from him…it's not me who deserves someone better, but you," Sakura said. She wiped her eyes and stumbled back to the clearing. Dawn could not come soon enough.

* * *

"My, how far you've come since I trained you, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said. His inky-black hair cascaded down his cloak and he stared around his old laboratory, where he had kept his own prisoners captive. Groans of pain and misery echoed down the dark hallway. As they passed each cell, trembling hands and faces crowded against the bars, begging to be released.

Kidnapping the prisoners had been easy enough. The guards were so weak they would be lucky to pass the Chuunin exam. The people they guarded had put up an even more pathetic fight. With the combined efforts of Sasuke, Orochimaru, Suigetsu and Juugo, it had been effortless to break in and quickly take over the facility. They knocked out each inmate and sealed him, then transported them to Orochimaru's lab. The prisoners were bloody and coated in dirt, but the building itself was clean and sterile. The Sannin preferred a neat place to experiment, or as Suigetsu would mutter with a faraway look in his eyes, "torture like the crazed scientist he was."

Even now, Suigetsu was still staring at Orochimaru with a wary look, his hand never faraway from Samehada. Sasuke was hardly worried—he had made the older man swear his loyalty, in return he would have control over Konoha. "You've always wanted to be hokage, right? This is your chance," Sasuke said. Orochimaru only smirked and replied that such a dream had disappeared long ago. Yet he still accepted Sasuke's offer.

The Uchiha of course had no intention of keeping his promise. His clan would hold their rightful position to take over and rule Konoha. He had decided on kidnapping prisoners as his sacrifices for Edo-Tensei. He would not stoop so low as to take civilians, no matter how easy it would have been. Sasuke and Orochimaru ignored the cries for mercy—the prisoners were well aware of the certain death that faced them—and walked into a small room that held hundreds of jars containing hair samples. Sasuke resisted the urge to shiver at the frigid temperature and drew his cloak around him. A blinding florescent light shone above them.

"Most of the DNA from my clan was easy enough to obtain. Traveling and breaking into Konoha was the hardest part, their ANBU are nothing to sneeze at," Sasuke said. "Performing this jutsu will be even more difficult, I've only attempted it once, and that was on Itachi."

Suigetsu leaned against the cement wall. "Finding out your brother who you thought was an evil psycho was an actually good person is bad enough. Find out he's still alive using Edo-Tensei…now that's just awkward."

Sasuke's right eye twitched. "Not awkward. I think 'selfish' would be more fitting. But he'll regret what he's done. Itachi had no right to hide like that from me and if he truly loved his brother as much as Tobi said he did, he would have talked to me long ago." Sasuke took one of the jars, labeled with a specific number. "Luckily, I was able to find most of the hairs around the Uchiha compound. It was untouched after the massacre."

Suigetsu swallowed nervously. "Almost like it never happened." Orochimaru watched Sasuke as though he was an interesting experiment of his own gone haywire.

"Before I left Konoha, I would walk through there late at night, trying to tell myself my family was still there. It was all just one long, terrible nightmare and they were all asleep, waiting for me to come home late from practice. Now, I can make it a reality," Sasuke said softly. His hands balled into fists. "Give me the first prisoner. I want to test the jutsu now."

Suigetsu moved to obey, but Orochimaru stopped him with a single look and hissed, "I'll do the honors." Without another word, he swept out of the room. Seconds later, the silence was interrupted by a brutal scream. Suigetsu flinched and said, "Geez. Did he really have to make a show out of it?" The scream continued on for a full minute, until it died into a whimper. And then finally, silence.

A dead man was dropped onto the table. His brown, empty eyes reflected the fluorescent light. His mouth was still twisted in an agony. Blood poured out of a single stab wound, staining his white uniform. Not that it mattered. Suigetsu rolled his eyes and Orochimaru returned to his position, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. It still disturbed Sasuke how easily he could kill others and made a mental note to keep a watchful eye on him. But the anticipation of what he was about to do pushed any thoughts of the dead prisoner out of his mind. His life was a worthy sacrifice to pay.

"Who are you going to resurrect?" Suigetsu asked.

Sasuke formed the seals of the jutsu rapidly. His eyes blazed a fiery red. "You'll see."

He placed his palm down. His stomach clenched as the smoke appeared and he stepped back. Sasuke hoped with every fiber of his being that the hair sample had belonged to the right person. He felt as anxious as his first attempt to raise Itachi from the dead. The smoke cleared and a figure stood in the middle of the lab, where the dead man had once been. Sasuke willed himself to remain calm, but as soon as he saw the person, he knew it would be useless.

"Father," Sasuke said.

Fugaku Uchiha looked upon his son in shock. "Itachi…? No, Sasuke, it's you. How you've grown. How many years has it been? What am I doing here…?" He cracked face examined his son with an alarmed expression.

Sasuke forgot about everyone else except the man he had sought to impress for the first eight years of his life. He stood a step forward, not believing this was true. He was afraid to blink, for fear his father would be torn away from him again. "I've brought you back to help you realize your dream. What happened to you was unjust and a disgrace," Sasuke took a ragged breath in, trying to keep his composure. "It's only fair that you deserve a second chance at life. And a second chance to complete your mission."

Realization dawned on Fugaku's face. "So you know about the coup. About my fate—and the rest of the clan's—at the hands of your brother. Itachi did what he felt was right Sasuke, I hope you both have cared for each other well and lived fulfilling lives. Perhaps that's too much to hope for Itachi, after what he was forced to do, but that's all your mother and I really wanted." He looked at his son, silently begging for him to understand. "I am sorry. I have failed you both as a father."

Sasuke shook his head. He could sense Suigetsu behind him, still as a statue. "No, you didn't. It's the village that's failed to treat their people equally and understand their rights. I know about the discrimination and the way the Uchiha were treated like trash. I don't agree with Itachi's decision and felt that you had every right to fight back. So that's what we'll do. We'll take back Konoha." Sasuke smirked, letting the promise of revenge and his family fuel him. "When those elders see our clan, they'll wish they had never crossed paths with the Uchiha."

* * *

**End **

Thank you for reading! This was a hard chapter for me to write, for several reasons. ;) I'll try to have the next one up as soon as possible. Finals are coming up, but after that I'm done for summer break. Whoo!


	11. Verum

**Chapter Eleven- Verum**

Important: Don't read if you're not caught up to chapter 599! There are spoilers so please beware.

* * *

There was a growing problem that refused to escape Hinata's mind. As the four of them prepared to leave the clearing, she chewed on a berry, wondering how to phrase the question. She decided bluntness would be the best course of action here.

"So, how exactly are we going to find Sasuke?" she asked. Itachi spared her a cool glance and stood up. He had been double checking all their supplies and sharpening his kunai. Hinata hoped he wouldn't have to put it to use—although she was curious to see him fight, from all the stories she heard about his skills. She had been trying to eat more often and gain the muscle weight she had lost, so she picked up another strawberry, waiting for his answer.

"I have a few good ideas of where Sasuke could be, based on what his goals are. However, if we fail to locate him, we'll need to find a sensor. Only ninja who specialize in chakra detection would be able to locate a ninja of his caliber. However, something tells me Sasuke wants to me to find him, if he knows I'm alive," Itachi said with a shrug.

Naruto, who just returned from checking their area and making sure no enemy ninja had tracked them down, wiped a bead of sweat off of his forehead. "If he still plans on taking down Konoha, he can't be far from the Fire Country. Before we go, I want to check around the area one more time." He tied his headband together and smiled at Hinata. She felt her face grow hot and tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

Itachi frowned and felt the tip of the kunai, pausing from his sharpening. "Do you think someone is following us? Or planning an ambush? We'll have to take care of anyone who knows about our location. Naruto, you especially are a high-priority target right now and we can't afford to be careless." His tone was casual, but that's what scared Hinata the most abut him. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the eerie feeling she got around Itachi. It didn't sit well with her that he killed his whole family, despite their conversation yesterday. This morning, he was even quieter and more serious than before. Sakura, oddly enough, had been completely silent and only spoke when asked a question. Her demeanor had changed since their conversation about the missing prisoners. Did it have something to do with that? Or was it Itachi's visit to her, checking to see if she was okay? Hinata felt a pang of protectiveness for her fellow kunoichi. If Itachi had hurt her in any way, there would be hell to pay—powerful Uchiha or not.

"I'm not sure. I'd like to do one more check. We're leaving anyway but we can't have anyone following us or making trouble. I'm sick of putting off finding Sasuke," Naruto said. "Hinata, do you mind coming along? Your Byakugan would help out me out. I could use the company too," he added with a grin.

Hinata nodded, trying not to look to eager. They had been alone together yesterday, but Naruto only talked about their plan for the next few days. He still hadn't brought up her confession, or given any indication of how he felt about her. She tried not to dwell on it—there were more pressing matters after all—but it still hurt all the same.

They left the clearing together and ran a few hundred feet away. Naruto squinted his eyes and placed a hand over his forehead, putting on a facial expression he always used to wear and Hinata found adorable, even now. "I thought there might have been someone around…do you see anyone, Hinata?"

She activated her Byakugan and peered around; the wood became silvery, transparent ghosts as she looked. "No, I don't. Unless you count some rabbits, there are hardly any living creatures larger than my fist around," she said. Yet, Hinata couldn't shake the feeling that another person was watching them. She thought she saw a shadowy figure standing a few hundred feet away, but when she did a double-take, she only saw a lone tree that towered over the rest of the forest.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to just do another run-through, since you look uncertain," Naruto said. He began to walk east, where Hinata thought she saw the figure. She nodded and followed him, keeping a wary eye. She spotted a silvery-white orchid and gasped before she could stop herself. "My mother used to love those! They were her favorite, she said it reminded her of our eyes," Hinata said. She crouched down and studied the orchid.

Naruto laughed, his blue eyes twinkling. "Why don't you pick it up? It would look pretty in your hair, Hinata."

She blushed and shook her head. "My mother would look at them, but she never plucked them from their roots. She said it's cruel to take another creature's beauty for your own. It's better to let them flourish and grow." She stood up, looking at Naruto.

"You mom sounded really kind," Naruto said. He rubbed the back of his neck and sidestepped a glistening spider web. "Do you remember much about her?"

Hinata realized she hadn't told him about her dangerous encounter with her, all thanks to Kabuto. She wasn't sure if she was ready to talk to anybody about that yet—it had been too much, too soon. "She died shortly after my sister's birth. But I remember she would take me out to the fields to pick strawberries, or sometimes I would watch her sketch flowers. She was an amazing artist, and could make magic out of watercolor. I see flashes of our time spent together; it comes back to me in the most unexpected ways. I guess we never really forget, right?" Even now, Hinata could remember the dewy meadows they would explore together, the smell of the fresh soil and rain from the night before.

They kept walking through the wood. The wind ruffled Naruto's hair and he stopped to rest against a tree. "I wish I could have had those kinds of memories to look back on. My mom spent a grand total of five minutes with me after I was born. I met her through the Kyuubi," he took a deep breath, a look of sorrow sweeping over his features. "I never told anyone this, but I was able to talk to her. She told me about her life and how she met my father. It almost made me think of what could have been…instead of the lonely life I had."

Hinata took a tentative step towards him. "You have friends who will support you now. And sometimes, you can be surrounded by your family and still feel alone. When my mother died, I lost the only person that really understood me."

Naruto's eyes flashed with concern. "Maybe I won't ever completely understand your situation, but I know that feeling of loneliness, and I know we're all fighting our own personal demons. For some people, that's a literal thing," he said with a wink. "But if you need me, I'll always be here for you. Then at least we'll always have each other right?"

Hinata looked away, overcome with happiness. Even if Naruto didn't think of her the same way, he would always be an amazing friend to her. "Thank you," she said.

"You're right though, I'm glad I have you guys to help. And Iruka as well, he bought me ramen all the time! When we get back to Konoha, I hope Ichiraku is open. I can only eat so much fruit and vegetables, you know? I miss that comforting taste of saltiness and noodles and amazingness only ramen can bring," Naruto said.

Hinata laughed. "I miss Konoha, period. Not that I don't mind sleeping on the rocky, dirty terrain, but I would love to finally relax in my own bed."

A frog jumped in between them, its bright-red back a blur of color with each hop. A couple of dried leaves blew through the area. Naruto watched the frog go along as he said, "Camping out really does make you miss all the great parts about being home. Having your own bathroom for one thing…"

Hinata felt her face flush as she said, "Being at one with nature isn't all it's cracked up to be, but the job of a shinobi isn't exactly glamorous. Good thing Sakura was able to travel to town to buy some more supplies."

Naruto started to walk again, stepping over a fallen, mossy log. "Yeah, otherwise I don't know how long I could have hunted fish for. Anyway, I don't see anything, maybe it was all in my head or I just saw an oddly shaped rock or something. I guess three years of Akatsuki being on your trail can make you a little paranoid and jumpy. You want to head back?"

Hinata agreed and they started back towards the clearing. She couldn't help but to glance over her shoulder one last time. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but a small part of her concurred with Naruto's suspicions. Hinata was eager to start traveling. Something—or someone—was nearby, watching. But with no proof, she stayed silent and they walked back together, their hands only inches apart.

* * *

"He is still alive…" a raspy voice whispered.

No reply was made, but Zetsu could hear the hitched breath of his leader. He stepped into the light and looked over the cliff. It led down hundreds of feet, an endless black abyss of nothing but bones and jagged rocks. It was said the ninja used to execute their traitors by throwing them off the cliff. It was also rumored one could hear their cries for mercies, echoes of the past that still endured. Obito heard nothing. His orange mask stood out against the frosty shades of white and grey. The high-altitude made the air difficult to breath, and there was little sunlight to the dismay of Zetsu. After their hideout was destroyed by that idiot Uchiha boy, they had limited options on where to go.

"So my suspicions are confirmed. You may go," Obito said brusquely.

Zetsu frowned. "Shall I spy on them some more? Sasuke cannot find out about his brother. He's already killed our greatest ally, Kabuto. He will become even more of a nuisance if Itachi manages to convince him."

Obito was no fool, years spent training under Madara had taught him a few tricks. His patience dwindled and he turned his head to a fraction, sparing as little words as possible. "And as of right now, you are becoming a nuisance to me. I need to be alone to go over my options and what can be done. Leave now, Zetsu."

When he had finally been left alone, Obito sighed and removed his mask. He lightly touched his mangled face. Although he was not vain and didn't concern himself with such matters, he avoided looking at his reflection. What the accident, and those miserable years have done to him, he'd rather not know. It didn't matter anyway, soon he would accomplish his dream, and the world would be a better place. He would finally be able to see her carefree smile once again.

_Rin…_

"Has your heart grown soft? This war has been a disgrace for me to see," a deep voice declared behind him. "So the one who summoned me has been killed…"

Obito whipped around. Few people could catch him by surprise, but he had never forgotten his old master—or the eerie way he could appear out of thin air, silent as a frozen wasteland. "Madara?"

A figure stepped into the light. Snow fell lightly upon him, and Madara Uchiha kept his head bowed. Despite his humble posture, he radiated arrogance and pride. Not many shinobi afford to be as proud, but Madara could back up his words. It was the only reason he had managed to deceive so many people and live to tell the tale—Itachi being one of them. He had fooled the boy, and even his old sensei, Minato into thinking he was one of the most dangerous men alive. This is why killing Itachi was so important, so absolutely crucial to his plans for Sasuke. But they were thrown out when he had managed to survive—but how? His dead body had been nothing more than a clever Genjutsu; Zetsu couldn't tell the difference, and he was the one that had taken the corpse. When Obito saw Naruto and that pink-haired girl escape, he knew Itachi had lived. _Damn him._

Obito decided he would figure that mess out later. Now, he must deal with Madara; perhaps he could work his magic. Deception had always been his forte. "It is you," he muttered. "Kabuto was the one who summoned you. He has been killed by one of our relatives, you'd be proud."

Madara still wore his old battle uniform and placed his hands on his hips, looking over the mountain. He took each slow step towards Obito, taking his time. Nobody rushed Madara. The wind grew stronger and bit into the younger man's scarred skin, but he forced himself to keep a straight face.

"Would I be proud? I come back to find you've started a losing war. I'm summoned by an incompetent ninja who I assume was your ally. My clan is dead and gone—thanks to you," Madara said.

Obito turned to him. "Is that not what you wanted? They betrayed you. Since your time, the Uchiha have fallen into a pathetic state. They were dogs to the Senju and wanted to plan a coup, but it only would have ended with a humiliating defeat. I saved them from the disgrace you faced."

Madara's eyes flinched ever so slightly, but he kept his face impassive. "Save me your excuses. Are you any closer to accomplishing what we set out to do? Or have you already forgotten that girl…what was her name?"

"_No," _Obito said. He could feel a vein throbbing in his neck in an effort to keep calm. "I would never forget her. We are closer to fulfilling the Moon Eye's Plan. Placing the world under a Genjutsu is still my priority and the only reason I live. Many people have died to make this work. I will not allow their deaths to be in vain."

"Why Obito, it sounds like you feel remorse for the murders you've committed," Madara observed. "You have grown soft."

Obito ignored the jab. He knew he was too kind—the only reason he did what he did was for Rin. She could be happy again, he could have his lost childhood back, and as much as he hated to admit it, Kakashi could even be his friend again. The terrible, blinding pain could go away. The entire half of his body still ached, some parts were numb, and others felt as if each nerve was on fire. That's another reason he wore his mask; to have his enemies and allies alike mock, laugh at his agony was not acceptable. "I need your help, Madara. As much as it pains me to admit, I am losing this war. I've lost both Kabuto and Sasuke who promised me power. But first I must know how you escaped the Edo-Tensei jutsu."

"Is it not obvious…?" Madara said. He turned to face Obito with lined, lilac eyes. "The Rinnegan grants me power beyond what that fool knew about Edo-Tensei. Do not perform jutsu you cannot handle. I would have sought to kill himself myself if someone had not already reached him. Now, we must go. We have work to do."

* * *

"_Sakura, if you are to be my apprentice, you must answer me one question," Tsunade said. Her buttery blonde hair fell lightly over her eyes, and she pushed it back with a flick of her hand. One of the files piles over her desk swayed back and forth, threatening to topple over, but the Hokage paid no mind. Sakura tried not to stare._

_The younger girl fidgeted in her seat nervously. The cold metal texture of the chair did nothing to calm her nerves. Sakura took a breath and said, "I want to challenge myself. I've always had an interest in medical jutsu and I would love to save lives. People would thank me for my hard work. Your skills are remarkable and it's truly a sight to see—"_

"_Don't flatter me," Tsunade interrupted with a half-hearted wave. A half-empty bottle of sake reflected the afternoon sunlight. "Medical jutsu is not pretty or easy, by any means. From what I've seen, you're book smart. But can you make the tough emotional decisions necessary to succeed?" _

_Her hazel eyes bore into Sakura's green ones. She chewed her lip and thought for a moment. "Such as…?" _

"_Let's say your squad went on a mission gone wrong. You're fighting Sand ninja who betrayed their village. One of your teammates has been poisoned. He's nearing a slow and certain death unless you can obtain an antidote, which is a hundred miles east of your location," Tsunade said. _

_Sakura nodded along. "Well, I would run as fast as I could and—"_

_Tsunade held up a hand. "I'm not finished. So one person is poisoned. Your other teammate however, took a kunai to the chest. He'll require your attention for the entire night if you want to guarantee his survival. So now, you are stuck between two choices. Travel east to get the antidote, saving your teammate, or allow him to die to heal your other injured member. What do you choose?" _

_The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, but neither woman acknowledged it. Shadows lengthened down the room as the sun set. Sakura cleared her throat. "I…" she thought of having to make this decision with her own Team Seven, or one of her other friends she'd known for years. Sasuke had just abandoned the village. Was this why Tsunade posed this kind of question? _

_The Hokage raised an eyebrow and took a small sip of sake. "If you can't give me an answer, that's fine. I'm just painting a situation many medical ninja face on a daily basis, but it's not something everyone can handle. Perhaps you'd be better off working in intelligence forces with Shikamaru's father."_

"_No," Sakura cut off. "Tsunade-sama, I know what I would choose. I would let the teammate who was injured by the kunai to die, and travel to get the antidote."_

_For a second, Sakura thought she had given the wrong answer. The silence wore on for seemed like hours before Tsunade said, "Explain why."_

"_If we're fighting enemy Sand ninja, chances are the kunai was dipped into poison. From what we've learned at the academy, and what Kakashi-sensei told us, that's their method used to kill. So I would have to consider the person who took the stab a lost cause," Sakura said. Her hands trembled. What if she had gotten something wrong? _

_The Hokage smiled and drained her sake cup in one go. "Very good, meet me at my office tomorrow morning at seven. We'll go over some of the basic techniques in medicine, and then tackle common injuries and diseases. If you continue to improve and meet the standards I expect from a medical ninja, you'll eventually train with my assistant Shizune, and you'll work under her supervision at the clinic. This will be a long, rocky journey for you. But from what Kakashi tells me, you're quite talented."_

_Sakura resisted the urge to jump out of her chair and cheer down the hallway, but she couldn't suppress the smile broke through, like a ray of sunshine after an endless storm. "Thank you, I won't let you down!" She rose up to leave and bowed. As Sakura turned away, she heard Tsunade's curt voice from behind. "One more thing, Sakura. I can only hope that if you're ever faced with the same situation with Naruto and Sasuke, you would use the same kind of logic you used just now." _

_Sakura swallowed and mumbled something in agreement. As she walked down the hallway and nodded at the Chuunin standing guard, she hoped that she would never have to make such a terrible choice. Because the truth was, Sakura wasn't sure if she could promise Tsunade that. _

* * *

Sakura bit the corner of her lip. The memory of her first talk with Tsunade would always be etched into her brain, but today it kept repeating itself over and over, like a song she couldn't get of out her head. She had even dreamt it the night before, from the little sleep she managed to achieve. She remembered Shikamaru once told her dreams were the brain's way of handling situations that were too emotional for the conscious. It was like her mind was trying to tell her something—but what? It honestly surprised her she hadn't dreamt about Itachi, after their fiasco of a conversation from the night before.

Both Sakura and Itachi seemed to be having a contest of who could say the least this morning. It was like all the light-hearted conversations, bonding, talks of the past and the future had never existed. _Why did he have to ruin everything? _

A few years ago over lunch, Ino and Tenten once told her that guys and girls could never be friends; there would always be someone that had deeper feelings. Sakura scoffed at it then, but now she was starting to see the truth in the old saying. There was another small part of her that felt guilty for rejecting Itachi over Sasuke. After all he had done for her, and all the kind words he said. An even smaller part felt like a traitor for reciprocating that kiss. She told herself it was only human nature to feel that kind of attraction, but it wasn't _real. _Not like the feelings she had for Sasuke.

They had been traveling towards Orochimaru's old hideout for the past few hours. Itachi suggested that Sasuke would be able to find refuge there, and may even gather more supplies or followers after the battle with Kabuto. During the time, she ignored the concerned glances Hinata sent her way, and Naruto's many attempts at conversation. She knew Itachi could no longer see nearly as well, but it still unnerved her whenever he locked his eyes with her own on accident. She spent the rest of the journey craning her neck ahead, trying not to look at anyone. At this point, Sakura didn't even want to see herself. Five grueling hours later, Naruto spoke up, "I think we should take a break and stop at Sairento. The town is only a couple of miles away."

Hinata looked at Naruto, frowning. "We were already delayed when we had to fight Nagato, I'm not sure if we can afford to take a break." Her soft voice didn't carry well in the wind, and for a second, Sakura thought Naruto didn't hear her. He shook his head. "No, it's important we rest for a couple of hours. I have no idea how Sasuke is going to react, and there may be a chance we have to fight." His eyes flickered over to Itachi, who looked fatigued anyway.

Sakura shrugged. "Whatever you feel is best."

They turned right and made their way through the sinuous glades and meadows. Over the horizon, a small town with glittering lights appeared in the distance. The red roofs of buildings stood proud in the distance. As soon as they landed near the town's edge, Itachi muttered something about checking out the medicine shop and left swiftly, his black-pony tail flowing behind.

Naruto watched him leave and turned back to Sakura. Hinata shuffled her feet, looking as though she wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how. Naruto, being his usual honest, impulsive self, didn't waste any time. "Alright, Sakura what's going on? Are you still on for this mission?"

Sakura was taken aback. Did he think her strange behavior was due to nerves? Maybe a small part of it was that. Now, they would confront Sasuke for possibly the last time. "What do you mean?" she asked, stalling for time. Two young girls carrying dango walked by, chattering happily about an upcoming birthday party. Sakura felt envious of their carefree lifestyle. This wasn't the first time she had wondered what life would have been like as a civilian.

Naruto cleared his throat. "I'm just saying, last time we saw Sasuke, you got cold feet about the whole thing. If you're feeling any kind of doubt, maybe you should return the alliance. I want you to do this with me, as a Team Seven member. But I understand if it's too much, or if you'd feel better off finishing off the rest of the Edo-Tensei ninja with the others."

Sakura took a step back. "_What?_ Naruto, I was the one who tracked you down to even find Sasuke. I was the one who convinced Itachi to reach out to the last of his family. And trust me, that wasn't easy. I know last time I didn't go through with it, but do you really think this will end with Sasuke's death?"

Naruto stayed silent. Hinata anxiously looked back and forth between the two of them, as though watching a fierce match. The sound of children laughing rang through the air. An elderly man shuffled by, holding a banquet of orchids. Sakura idly wondered if they were for his wife. "I'm prepared for whatever might come our way. Last time I wasn't honest, I hurt you and could have gotten myself killed. But now, things are different. If I was feeling any kind of second-thoughts, you would be the first to know," Sakura said.

Naruto nodded. "I trust you, Sakura. But why have you been so quiet then?"

Hinata spoke up, "Does it have anything to do with Itachi? Both of you have been acting strangely. Maybe I just don't know him well enough, but I get such an intense feeling from him…"

Sakura's heart plummeted. Maybe Hinata wasn't the best kunoichi, but she was definitely one of the most perceptive people she'd ever met. Naruto tilted his head to the side, as though trying to think of the past morning. "No, no. It has nothing to do with him. I'm just nervous about what we're going to have to do, that's all," Sakura said quickly before Naruto could put two and two together. The last thing she needed was him learning about Itachi's feelings for her, she'd have no idea how he would react to _that_. "I mean, I think we're all just a little tense because of what we've been through the past few days. Fighting Nagato and Deidara was far from easy, and now we've got the task of finding Sasuke on our hands. It's all a little overwhelming, yeah?" She said, and then winced. Speaking of Deidara, she had picked up his peculiar habit of speaking.

"Yeah…" Naruto agreed, but Hinata still didn't look convinced. Sakura tossed her pink hair over her shoulder and began to back away. Now it was her turn to make some excuse about buying some more fruit as she dashed away. Sakura wasn't the best liar, and she didn't need Hinata figuring out any more than she already had. "I'll meet you guys at the same spot in an hour!"

Sakura walked briskly down an alleyway between two shops, trying to keep her mind calm. It was only until she reached the town square did she realize she didn't have anything to do. Hinata probably needed to take a nap and recharge her chakra. Since her capture with Kabuto, she had to slowly regain her strength; the battle with Nagato had looked like it had worn her out, even if she hadn't admitted to it. Naruto might venture out for a ramen stand and prepare one of his amazing speeches to give to Sasuke. Or he would stay with Hinata. Sakura wondered if Naruto had ever given Hinata an answer to her confession, or any thought to their relationship at all. If anyone was good for him, it was certainly the Hyuuga. She kept him grounded in a way no one else could.

An ancient shrine stood in the middle of the square. People bustled past it with bags or children in hand, paying little attention to it. An elderly, frail man meditated in the middle of it, his eyes closed as though he was blissfully asleep. His posture was straight and rigid; yet he looked more at peace than anyone around. Sakura examined the temple—it had small archaic phrases engraved in it. She tried to decipher them, but they had eroded away with time. Sakura heard the faint rumble of thunder and felt the cold droplets on her cheeks that she noticed the rain. She glanced up at the sky and stood still, letting the drizzle wash over her at it increased in intensity.

"It reads, 'three things cannot be hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth,'" Sakura heard a voice behind her say. She turned and raised her eyebrows in surprise to see Itachi, who wordlessly held an umbrella over her head, shielding her from the rain. "Thank you, she murmured, "But how can you read it?" They retreated down the steps and walked along the shops. Sakura tried not to walk too closely to him, but it wasn't an easy task since they had to share an umbrella; she wondered if it would have been worth it to spare the awkwardness and get soaked instead. She shivered as another flash of lightening hit. It was rainy season, and it always seemed to be overcast or drizzling.

"My family had visited this town several times. If there was one thing my father loved more than power, it was traveling and learning history. He would take us to see old shrines and temples he heard of as a boy. After the Kyuubi attack, my clan was forbidden from leaving Konoha unless they had permission from the Hokage, or on a mission. I'll never forget that saying he would tell me. It taught me more than any book or scroll ever did," Itachi explained.

"Do you think that quote is true?" Sakura asked.

Itachi stepped around a puddle, keeping the umbrella steady as he said, "Yes, I do. The truth always has a way of coming out, no matter what. It's a mistake I made when I tried to conceal the secrets of my own past. I suppose no one can really hide who they are forever, right?"

Sakura twirled a hair around her ear. "Right," she agreed softly. "But sometimes, if you pretend you're something you're not for so long, you end up fooling yourself. But isn't that why Konoha needs to know the real reason behind the massacre?"

A stray cat raced along the street, looking for shelter. "Truth isn't the same thing as disgrace," Itachi said. "I've done so much for Konoha…I only ask that they keep my family's honor."

"I never appreciated my parents for everything they've done. I wanted them to be ninja themselves, and teach me jutsu like all the clans did with their own children. One time, I even yelled at my dad for being so weak. I blamed him for being the reason I got emotional in every fight. He just told me some people weren't made to be shinobi, but I'll never forget how hurt he looked. Pretty terrible of me, huh?" Sakura said.

Itachi brushed a raindrop from his cheek. "We've all said things that we would take back in a second, if we could. It's easy to blame the people we're closest to for our situations. But I know your parents will always love you, despite all that, there are some relationships that are always unconditional. But you should never forget to appreciate them, Sakura. Life is never certain and everything can be taken away all too easily."

Sakura felt more torn than ever. If she had said something like that to Sasuke, he would only criticize her for being ungrateful to the people that gave her the most. Which maybe that held true, but Itachi seemed to understand all the same.

Sakura swallowed nervously and turned to speak. "Itachi, I'm sorry about everything…"

"You have nothing to apologize for. You're obligated to your choice and shouldn't have to feel guilty about it. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. " Itachi interrupted. His words were kind, but his tone told another story.

Sakura tried to see his point, but a small part of her thought of the decision Itachi was forced to make. He was never happy, and had to join an organization filled with criminals until his brutal fight with Sasuke. "But every choice had a consequence," Sakura said quietly.

"That, I agree with," Itachi said sadly.

"If you could meet your parents, what you would say to them now?" Sakura asked. She wondered if this was going too far. Especially since she made it clear she preferred his brother after he kissed her. Even now, it still felt like a dream. What he saw in her that was so attractive, she still didn't know.

Itachi didn't have the chance to answer, because at that very moment, Naruto jumped in front of them and said with a grim expression, "I think he'll another opportunity to talk with them anyway. Itachi, I don't know how to tell you this but…" he exchanged a meaningful look with Hinata. "Sasuke raised the Uchiha clan back. They've just launched an attack on Konoha."

Hinata stood next to him, confirming it with a shaky nod. "We have to get back as soon as possible; my own family is in danger. As the heiress to the Hyuuga, I have to defend my clan, even if it means fighting against Sasuke, and possibly killing him. He committed treason and my little sister is still there, vulnerable and…I'm sorry, Itachi," she said.

Sakura gaped, looking at both of them. Itachi stood unusually still, his arm holding the umbrella rigid against her own. His eyes were closed, and his brow furrowed. It was like Sasuke had stabbed him right then and there. "How is that possible? How did you guys even find out?" Sakura began. This was even worse than when he had fled to Orochimaru—now he had committed the most horrific kind of crime.

Naruto rubbed his forehead, still looking like he couldn't believe the news himself. "Remember how I stationed clones around? Most of them disappeared from chakra depletion, but one was still in Konoha, so I was able to find out right away what happened. They're taking over the village and are arresting anyone who gets in the way. I know it's crazy, but it makes sense. Sasuke somehow learned the Edo-Tensei jutsu and revived his whole family. It's what he's always wanted, right? To have everyone he loved back."

Sakura shook her head. This couldn't be happening. All hope for redemption for Sasuke was gone_._ And Itachi…she peered over at him; even he couldn't hide how disappointed and betrayed he looked.

"How did he even manage to master such a horrible jutsu?" she asked weakly.

Hinata's voice was quiet as she answered, "I think he copied Kabuto when he used it to revive my mother."

Naruto put a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "I'm sorry, if there's one thing Sasuke did right, it was getting rid of that guy. No wonder you and Neji looked so shaken up when I saw you both."

The Hyuuga lightly hugged Naruto back. "Thank you, but I think we've got bigger problems on our hands. We have to get back to Konoha _now." _

All three of them turned to look at Itachi. His face was paler than usual, but he nodded. "I'll deal with Sasuke, it's my fault it even went this far. I'll face my family and…do what needs to be done." For a millisecond, his voice quivered.

Sakura desperately wanted to tell Itachi it was going to be okay, that everything would work out in the end like it was supposed to, but he would see through her empty promise faster than a flimsy Genjutsu. She could hear that quote ringing through her head—if Sasuke had known the truth, would this be happening? Right now, she knew everyone else was wondering the same thing.

The rain had stopped, and now sunlight streamed through the clouds. It should have been a happy moment, to see the sky clearing up and the air getting warmer. But as of this moment, it only seemed like it was the beginning of a terrible nightmare.

* * *

I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible. I have finals this week, so I've been busy with studying. I haven't read much Naruto fanfiction, but I read a few from Harry Potter and I must say I have a lot more respect for fanfic writers. They make it look so easy, right? Thanks so much for reading! =)

Oh and that quote on the shrine was from Buddha! He deserves all the credit for his amazing words.


	12. Justice

**Chapter Twelve - Justice**

* * *

In all of his seventeen years, Sasuke never thought he heard a more beautiful sound. People's screams echoed down ally ways and parents clung to their children, begging for mercy. Of course, that's exactly what he would show them. Even though he vowed to make every person of Konoha suffer, now that he had his beloved family fighting for him, talking to him, _with _him, he could make an exception.

After he revived his father, Sasuke went on to bring back every member of the clan. There were some missing people; he wasn't able to locate everyone's hair strand for a DNA sample, but he had the most powerful people back. His mother has been just as shocked, even now Sasuke couldn't help but to doubt his parents' feelings. He thought back his short speech…

"_I've brought you all here for a specific reason. I know you were planning a coup, and faced betrayal from your own—my brother," Sasuke began. His relatives looked back at him with those blank eyes. They stood near Orochimaru's lab, their bodies unnaturally still. What unnerved Sasuke the most was how they didn't breathe. The small rise and falls of their chests didn't move and their skin was as pale as the clouds he used to watch for fun. _

_Sasuke took a deep breath. "I've given my clan eternal life back. A second chance to make things right and bring the justice we were so cruelly denied." _

"_And what do you propose we do? What became of your brother?" one of his distant cousins asked. He crossed his arms and raised his chin defiantly. "Why should we obey you just to be slaughtered so easily again?" _

_Sasuke could hear Orochimaru's deep chuckle behind him. "See, this is why I erase their personalities. We shall have no dissenters."_

"_No. I'm willing to listen to people's concerns. It was Konoha that had no interest in hearing my clan's complaints and look what became of them. As for your question, Itachi took everyone by surprise that night. People suspected him, but no one knew he would actually go through with it." Out of the corner of Sasuke's eye, he saw his father flinch. "This time, it's us who will have the advantage here. We'll be able to take down Konoha with little effort now—they are in a war and their best ninja are hundreds of miles away. At this point, the only guards they have defending their village are a few chuunin and genin."_

"_Hmph. And why should we listen to you?" his cousin challenged. His eyes flared to life with the Sharingan. _

_Orochimaru bristled with impatience. Suigetsu and Juugo raised their eyebrows and looked to Sasuke, who only smirked and said, "I killed their Hokage, Danzo. That coward was the one who ordered Itachi to assassinate you all. I've also obtained the Mangekyou Sharingan; I command a great power." He heard quiet gasps of surprise and awe. "I'm not the young boy you once knew. Times have changed and I've grown because of the grief I went through. Now, will you all join me?" _

_Sasuke held his breath and waited. He knew he could easily command them to fight on his orders as Orochimaru suggested. But the best fighters were the ones who had passion for their cause—that was something Sasuke knew all too well. One by one, members of his clan bowed to him. After a few seconds, the only ones of his clan standing were his parents, and his cousin, who grudgingly bowed as well. It was strange to see the people he admired view him with such reverence. _

_Sasuke bit back a smile and turned to his parents. "Father, mother. I want you both to be by my side as we fight. I need your help…" _

_His mother tilted her head to the side, looking at Sasuke like he was a puzzle she hadn't quite figured out. It was the same expression she gave Itachi before everything happened. His father sighed and said, "We'll support you no matter what. I'm proud to have you as a son. But Sasuke, raising us back won't give you back your family. The past is in the past."_

_Sasuke shook his head. "No, that's not true. My past has influenced every second of my life since that night. Now," he turned to the rest of the clan, speaking before Fugaku could say anymore. "Let's go on to Konoha!"_

Hours later, his clan broke into his old home's gate and unleashed their strength. They were able to barrage through the village's defenses because of their own insider information. Some of the most talented of their group used fire jutsu and Genjutsu to quickly defeat the Chuunin who had been keeping watch. By the end of the long day, most of the village had fallen to them. Orochimaru, Suigetsu, and Juugo were on the other side of Konoha, fighting the other clans. The Hyuuga in particular were going to be a nuisance, but Sasuke could hardly believe his luck—it was almost _too _easy. He could finally breathe a sigh of relief when he walked into the Hokage's office. Iruka was slumped over, groaning in pain from the kunai Sasuke had sent his way. "You were never much of a sensei…or ninja," he said as he slipped into the chair reserved for Konoha's most esteemed leader.

Iruka shot him a look of pure disdain. He crawled over to one of the chair set against the wall and pulled out the kunai lodged into leg. Blood immediately slipped down his leg and pooled into the floor, but Iruka ignored it as he said, "You're such a disappointment, Sasuke. Out of all the students in the academy, I had the highest hopes for you. You had so much potential and you made the foolish choice to just throw it all away."

"Save your pep talks for someone else, I could care less. You know nothing about what Konoha has done. But soon, everyone will and they'll acknowledge me as their leader, just like my clan has done. Take him away," Sasuke barked. Two Uchiha members nodded and dragged out Iruka, who struggled and yelled out, "You'll regret this! You're going to have to pay the price with your life. Please, stop now while there's still hope—"

His voice quieted suddenly. Sasuke knew he had been knocked out as he was dragged though the hallway, but he didn't care to see it.

"Shall we kill him?" one of the men asked when they walked back into the office.

"No, just hold him captive. We can't have any word getting back to the alliance until Konoha is fully under our control," Sasuke said. During their long battle, some of the ninja had managed to escape. The Uchiha had guarded most the exits and threw many of them in jail cells. It wasn't Sasuke's intention to kill anyone. Instead, he would convince the village's own soldiers to follow him. He brushed his dark locks over his forehead and leaned back into the chair. To think Danzo had the gall to sit in this very office and force others to obey him. Sasuke looked to his left, where his parents stood quietly. His father peered out the window, overlooking the sunny village.

"Isn't this what you wanted? And since Konoha suffered a previous attack from Akatsuki, it's easy to rebuild the village from the ground up. We can start fresh and give the people what they need," Sasuke told them. Throughout the day, they had witnessed their son's remarkable power. Although Sasuke tried to refrain from using Susanoo, he had little choice when it came to taking the village down. Yet, he didn't miss the way his mother looked away when his Susanoo sent a flaming arrow through an old building.

Fugaku closed his eyes. "I'm not going to skirt around the fact, yes. This is what I've always wanted. But the moment before death, people change. The things that were so important to me—power, strength, control—all seemed trivial. At that moment, all I cared about was my sons. I was so worried for you."

Sasuke opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. Where was the strict man he had grown up with?

"Tell us, what has happened to Itachi. You never talked about your relationship after…that night," his mother, Mikoto, said. The afternoon sunlight hit her face, like it used to when they watched the sunset on the porch. Now, it only made her skin look ashen and grey. Sasuke averted his eyes. Even after death, they still seemed to care more about their older son.

"He did what he could to protect me. But after the massacre, he fled Konoha and joined a criminal organization to be spy. He played the villain and fooled me into thinking he was the one that wanted the clan dead. I trained for seven years to kill him…and when I did…I learned the truth from a man named Madara. He told me Itachi had sacrificed himself for the sake of the village," Sasuke said. He kept his focus on the pile of paperwork Tsunade had haphazardly stacked. One brush of the hand and it would topple over.

As he talked, his parents listened with tortured expressions. Mikoto covered her face in her hands. "He forced you to kill him? No, no. This is too much to take in. It's every mother's worst nightmare." She wiped her eyes. Fugaku sighed heavily and said, "This is all my fault. I take responsibility for everything that has happened to you both."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed; he slammed his fist against the desk. "This is _Konoha's _responsibility! They were the ones who didn't want to negotiate or make things better. They forced Itachi to kill his own parents. Remember why you wanted to rebel against them!"

"It doesn't matter if my own son is dead at the hands of another," Mikoto chocked out. "Oh, how you used to adore him. Want to go on every mission with him. If there ever came a day I would hear this news, death would be a more merciful option."

Something inside Sasuke's heart cracked. He couldn't see his mother cry like this. Or the way his father blamed himself for everything that happened. "No, Itachi…he isn't actually dea—"

The office doors burst open again, this time with several of the Uchiha members. They looked frantic. "Sasuke, there has been an attack on our forces. We don't know what's happened but many of our men are asleep or unconscious. We think it may be—"

"Genjutsu," Sasuke finished, already rising from his chair and glancing at his parents. He nodded at them and they all rushed out of the room together, down the stairs and outside the Hokage's building. Behind them, the mountain that featured all the previous leader's faces loomed over them. Sasuke could feel Hiruzen's stone eyes on his back. What had the old man thought of that night? Did the third Hokage truly support the murder of his own family, or was it all Danzo?

He brushed the vexing questions from his mind and followed the Uchiha members, who led him down the main walkway. Torn down buildings and debris from the battle littered the ground, and Sasuke jumped over pieces of rubble. Citizens huddled behind shops and homes, while Konoha's defeated ninja lay moaning in pain or knocked out. One child with a torn shirt and dark shadows under his eyes clutched a teddy bear, looking shell-shocked. Sasuke thought of his own horror the night of the massacre, and couldn't stop the feeling of pity that swept over him as he glanced back at the little boy. He had used a lot of chakra throughout the day, and the weariness and fatigue was gaining on him. Sasuke hoped whatever lay in store for them would be easy to take down; he couldn't afford to use Susanoo again, with his eyesight so damaged as it was.

They reached the area where they found Uchiha members in a deep sleep, as the men had reported. Sasuke and his parents walked around, examining them with a critical eye. He jerked his head up and peered around. Besides a couple of apartment buildings and an abandoned noodle stand, there was no one near by. The only sound he could hear was the stiff rhythm of his footsteps.

"What the hell?" Sasuke muttered to himself. His parents looked just as confused. The men who had led him down kept kunai out and ready. Sasuke felt each hair on his neck stand. "We know you're here! Come out and face me, unless you're too much of a coward," he called out.

"Above!" one of the Uchiha members warned. Sasuke sent shuriken flying blindly ahead, not bothering to aim. The sun beat down and he could only see a silhouette in the sky, flying towards him and dodging the weapons. One hand formed a ball of…wind?

"Rasengan!" Naruto yelled out and crashed into the ground with his jutsu, missing Sasuke by mere inches. He charged a Chidori in one hand and sent a punch Naruto's way. The electricity brightened his old friend's blue eyes, but he managed to duck and slide backwards. Both of them stood still, sizing each other up and breathing heavily.

"Heh. I knew you'd find out about this. You always have a way of meddling into my business and butting into my life at the most annoying times," Sasuke said. He saw the other men circling Naruto, but the blond didn't seem worried.

"Naturally. Before, it was about convincing you to come back. To be a part of our team again, and my friend. But now, I know that we sometimes have to let the past go and realize that we can't change everyone. You've gone too far Sasuke. You've messed with the place I hold most dear—my _home,_" Naruto said. His headband reflected the sunlight.

"And what do you think you'll do against us? Coming here by yourself is foolish, even for you. This time, I'll kill you and be done with your nonsense," Sasuke growled and reached for his sword.

"Sasuke!" his mother gasped.

Naruto smirked and kicked one of the pebbles a few feet away. "I've learned a few things along the way. One of them is that you can't shoulder everything alone, your brother taught me that."

"What?" Sasuke asked.

His bewilderment was cleared up when two other figures jumped next to Naruto—Sakura and Itachi. Sakura adjusted her black gloves; her lips wobbled and her skin was a sickly pale. Itachi studied Sasuke with his Sharingan, before his gaze finally flickered over to his parents. His expression was completely impassive, and Sasuke had to swallow the cold, hard truth that his own brother had been here all along.

"So, I finally got you to show your face," Sasuke said. He kept his hand on his sword, his knees bent to attack at any moment. His parents moved towards their eldest son. Mikoto smiled, tears glistening in her eyes. "You're alive…" she murmured.

Itachi only looked on silently, but Sasuke couldn't mistake the disapproval that radiated off his brother. "Are you just gonna stare at me? Nothing to say after all these years of lies? And to think you let my old teammates know before me, out of all people," Sasuke goaded. All he wanted was some kind of reaction—_anything. _

Itachi sighed and said, "You've murdered others to take the place of our parents. You've fallen so far, Sasuke. I kept my survival a secret for this very reason. Nothing I said or would do could convince you, but I knew I had to try one last time. Now, you've raised our clan back and sacrificed other lives to do so. It seems like I've failed in being the older brother you needed. Mother, father, I'm sorry for what you had to see…"

Fugaku smiled gently and said, "You know I've always been proud of you, Itachi. Nothing you do could ever take my love for both of my sons away. I'm sorry I made your life hell by my own selfish wishes."

Sasuke bit the corner of his lip in frustration until he tasted blood. "So, you were never planning on telling me the truth, were you? Who had to convince you? These two idiots?" he gestured to Sakura and Naruto.

"Sasuke…it's not like that," Sakura said. She took a cautious step towards him, as though he were some rabid animal. "Just let us explain what happened. And then you can try to think about this logically and—"

"No!" Sasuke yelled. He swung his sward and lashed out at her. "You just won't get a hint will you? I don't care to hear what you have to say, Sakura. I won't ever care. You don't know a fraction of the pain I've been through and your explanations mean nothing to me!"

Sakura stumbled back. Her wide eyes never left the sword Sasuke held in his trembling hands. It only made him feel a little happier—his world wasn't the only one that was crashing down, one truth at a time.

"Don't speak to her like that. This is between you and I. If you want to take your anger our on anyone, direct it to me," Itachi said. For the first time, he tone gave away his anger. He stood in front of Naruto and Sakura, but this only made Sasuke more furious. Suddenly, his brother wasn't the strong, invincible person he admired for so many years. His body looked underfed and worn out from the chronic stress.

"What the hell does it matter how I talk to her?" Sasuke asked.

"Because…" Itachi glanced over at Sakura, looking conflicted on what to say. But it was all written so clearly on his face.

"You care about her," Sasuke finished for him. He knew what to do; a plan formed in his mind, gathering substance with every passing second. The pieces began to fit together. He laughed when Itachi only glared at him—silence was the only answer he needed. "So let me understand this. You betray our clan, side with Konoha who banish you like an outcast, and now you're into the girl who has the biggest crush on me? Will you ever get some self-respect?" Sasuke asked.

"_Had _the biggest crush on," Sakura cut in. She glowered at Sasuke, as though finally seeing him for the first time. She took hold of Itachi's hand and said, "I realize now, you never really cared for me, or Naruto, or anyone else besides yourself for that matter. You haven't had a real friend in years, and I'm done waiting for you to change."

Naruto looked at them with raised eyebrows. "You know, this makes a lot more sense," he said to himself, scratching his head.

Sasuke was at a loss for words for a moment. He forced away the hurt feelings and scoffed. "You think I give a damn? Enough of this talk. Itachi, you can join our family and we can rule Konoha together. You can have a second chance to make the right decision. Why live the rest of your life like a fugitive? I need you home, and I'm willing to forgive you, brother," Sasuke said. He stepped forward and offered his hand to Itachi.

For a second, Sasuke could see the temptation flash into Itachi's dulled eyes. Everyone waited in baited breath and for a few seconds, the world seemed to stop in its tracks.

"My place is by Konoha's side," Itachi said. His tightened his grip with Sakura's hand and looked to Naruto, who smiled with relief.

The betrayal felt like a knife twisted inside Sasuke, tearing his through organs and rupturing his heart. Before he could even think, the words flew out of his mouth in rage. His beloved brother, the one who was supposed to love Sasuke more than anything—had chosen their village over their family once again. "I see where your loyalties lie," he said through gritted teeth. "I command my clan to kill these three!"

* * *

Sakura was old enough to know that life wasn't a fairytale. Happy endings weren't always guaranteed, as she saw people's eyes flutter close for the last time in a healing session gone wrong. Dreams didn't always come true, and people sometimes never changed for the better. Yet, she clung onto the hope that Sasuke would turn around. But she knew that hope was as vapid and thin as the ghosts that were rumored to haunt Konoha's gravesites. Sakura would never forget the deranged look in his eyes as he ordered his own parents to kill them. Even years later, it would lurk in her nightmares.

Itachi released her hand and stood in front of Sakura. "Stay behind me," he said. Sakura couldn't see his face, but she couldn't mistake the pain his voice. The memories of the hour before rushed back to her…

_Itachi and Sakura stood on top of the gate that overlooked Konoha. The buildings that had been reconstructed looked like little toys. The sun beat down on her back, yet Sakura never felt colder. Naruto and Hinata had rushed into the village to check on the Hyuuga clan. In one of his rare moments of genius, Naruto told them to wait behind and he would give the signal to break in. So for now, they waited. _

"_It looks so peaceful from up here," Sakura commented. _

"_It's far from it. Sasuke, what have you done?" Itachi said, almost to himself. _

_Sakura tried to be optimistic, even if her heart wasn't in it. "Don't worry, we'll be able to convince him. I know we can! At least we found him, right?" _

_Itachi didn't say anything. All the strength he so effortlessly possessed seemed to have left him. "I'll be forced to fight my family again. To endure this hell twice is…too much. But it's my fault things have become this way and Sasuke attacked Konoha. If I have to die in battle with them, so be it," he said. _

_Once again, the thought of Itachi dying hurt Sakura more than it should have. "You told me you wouldn't use Susanoo again. But with Naruto and me around, we can defeat them. I won't let you confront your parents alone." _

"_I never told you anything," Itachi said. "I had assistance the last time I took down my clan. Now, these are Edo-Tensei ninja we're dealing with. If we can't convince Sasuke, then I'll have to do whatever I can to stop them." _

"_But you'll die! It's not supposed to go like this, we'll find another way to make everything better and get your brother to calm down. He can release the jutsu at any time."_

_Itachi gave a sigh of impatience. "And why does it matter to you, Sakura? As far as I'm concerned, a part of me died the night of the massacre. It's only fitting I have to do the job again, isn't it? Perhaps Sasuke has done me a favor."_

"_Don't talk like that," Sakura touched his arm and tried to look at Itachi, but he refused to meet her eyes. "You're still hundred-percent alive and well. Over these past few weeks, you've become a good friend to me. You put your life on the life for us, and any man that's willing to do that for me is…worth more than I can put into words. I won't let you die fighting anyone."_

_Itachi shut his eyes. "Sakura, don't make promises you can't keep." _

"_And don't give up on a second chance." _

_They were only inches away from each other. Itachi finally looked at her, his eyes full of desperation and drive. Sakura had never seen them so expressive…or realize how attractive they were. She felt that part of her growing, demanding something more from him. Itachi seemed to be fighting the same battle, only they were both losing. __He cupped her cheek and kissed her with the boldness of someone who would never get the opportunity again. His hands roamed her back and settled onto her waist. Sakura met him with equal vigor and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Right now, she only lived for this moment. They broke apart, and Sakura couldn't stop her legs from shaking. She was thankful Itachi held her waist, because the fall down would be a long one._

"_I'm sorry…I know what I said earlier. It must confuse you, and it confuses me. But it's only when I'm with you I forget about everything. The past, the uncertain future, how my friends and family are holding up…" Sakura said. _

_Itachi nodded and rested his head on her shoulder. She touched his hair softly; it smelled like its usual freshness that only hot spring water can bring. "When all this is done, I want an answer from you," he said. _

_Sakura titled her head slightly and her lips brushed against his ear as she said, "You told me not to make promises I couldn't keep. But thank you, Itachi, for believing in me when no one else did." She shut her eyes and allowed herself to sink into his arms and pretend that in the next few minutes, they wouldn't be risking their lives in combat. The truth was, if she had to go through with her plan, Itachi would hate her. It was wrong that Sakura even kissed him; but he brought her comfort no one else could. Zubuza once said people were either users or to be used, and it was only at that moment she understood what he meant. _

Sakura snapped back to the present and yelled "Sasuke!" She pushed past Itachi. "How could you? Your own brother!" But her pleas were ignored as the clan members advanced upon them. She could see his parents, who struggled the entire way, but couldn't resist Sasuke's commands. Naruto bent over and started coughing, gasping for air.

Sasuke only stepped back and allowed his family to launch an attack. They all went for Itachi first, who dodged them, blow by blow. There were five of them against one—Sakura didn't like these odds, even if it was Itachi. He sent a fire ball towards of the Uchiha men, who became engulfed in it and screamed out in agony. Seconds later, he reappeared from the ashes and rose up.

Sakura tried to fight the growing panic. She stood still as the man who had been dying in flames regained his strength and threw himself at her. The Edo-Tensei ninja could die over and over and simply keep going. Endless life, endless stamina, an endless battle. Sakura shut her eyes and knew what she had to do. She fought with the man using Taijutsu and landed a fist at his temple. She heard the _crack _of a skull fracture and pushed the man aside, heading straight for Sasuke. He had been watching the entire fight with crossed arms and a scowl. Sakura jumped into the air and landed in front of him; she looked back for Naruto but Sasuke grabbed her arm and twisted it to him, murmuring into her ear, "You want to fight? This time, Kakashi isn't around to save you if you chicken out. I won't be so slow to send a chidori straight through your heart."

A few days ago—hell, a few hours ago—this would have stopped Sakura right in her tracks. The sound of his voice and the smoothness of his pale skin brought her back to her childhood days of an innocent crush. She took a deep breath, summoned all of her strength, and threw her other fist at Sasuke's flawless cheekbone. It grazed it as Sasuke titled his head back at the last minute.

Sakura wrenched herself out of his grasp and kicked high into the air, not caring what part of Sasuke she hit, so long as she hurt _something. _She could hear the faint sound of metal clashing with metal behind her, but her attention was on the boy who had broken her heart so many times. Who caused her to make some terrible choices—ditching Ino, lying to Naruto, falling behind in her own life—she finally hit Sasuke's ribs with a forceful kick. It had been powered with chakra and she could hear Sasuke's swear as he fell backwards.

He coughed up blood and Sakura knew she had caused some internal bleeding. It should have given her some satisfaction, but she only felt sadness. "You deserve every thing that comes your way. I'm not going to back down," she said.

Sasuke clutched his side and coughed again. "Now that you have my brother, everything is peachy, huh? You just settled for the next best thing you could find. But remember, he's the same one who murmured my parents. If he could kill his own family, he could easily kill you if came down to it," he said with a sneer.

Sakura pursed her lips. "And I never thought I'd see the day where I would want to take you down you, Sasuke. But look where we are, right? You're not innocent either—you just ordered your own clan to kill Itachi!" She could hear Mikoto's soft voice pleading with something, but she didn't turn to see what was going on.

"You'd think I'd forgive him so easily! I thought I could understand him when Madara…" Sasuke paused to spit out blood. "Told me everything. But I thought he had _died. _It turns out he was only hiding from me, too scared to face the truth that his dear brother didn't go down the path he planned. Now, let's end this once and for all!" Sasuke lunged at Sakura, his hand glowing with the chidori.

Sakura sprung back and went on the defensive as Sasuke attempted stab after stab at her. Her ears rang with the deafening sound of lightening and she squinted at the near blinding light. She turned to look at Itachi, who was busy fighting the rest of the clan—he was back to back with Naruto. More people had come and soon enough they would overwhelm them. It was only a matter of time before Itachi would be forced to use Susanoo, and Naruto would run out of chakra—but then they would die. The question Tsunade posed blasted through her mind: who would she choose to save?

"Your attention is to me!" Sasuke yelled and Sakura felt her skin burn with an unimaginable pain. She gasped and touched her singed cheek. Sasuke's chidori was still charging in his hand; blood trickled down his chin. "You can't use the Mangekyou Sharingan?" Sakura asked, her brain trying to come up with ways to stall for time.

"I don't need to use it on you. I can't take you down with jutsu I learned at thirteen," Sasuke said.

Sakura looked into his eyes and saw only hate. She bit back another sob that threatened to make its way into her throat. She couldn't get emotional—not here. Suddenly, the sky faded into an inky, dark shade and the sounds around her became garbled. Sakura inhaled deeply and realized what must have happened.

"Genjutsu," she murmured. _Damn it. _

Sasuke smirked. "After all these years, you're still foolish enough to look into an Uchiha's eyes? You know our bloodline can create traps—it ends here, Sakura. But don't worry, you and Itachi can join each other in the afterlife."

With speed that would rival the Raikage's, Sasuke dashed to Sakura and drove his hand straight into her heart. It had been almost too easy, the way his Chidori finally died down inches from her lungs. Blood the color of rose petals splattered onto the ground. Sasuke winced and said, "This is the end, for you." There was the slightest tone of pity in his voice. He slowly moved to finish the Genjutsu.

"Not so fast," Sakura said to herself. Sasuke still had his hand trapped in her clone's heart. She crouched low behind a nearby building and saw her clone hold onto to Sasuke with its dying strength. She had seen Kakashi use this technique on Itachi, when they had fought him on the way to rescue Gaara. It worked like a charm with Sasuke. Now that he was trapped with the clone's grip, this was her chance.

Sakura ran to Sasuke as he jerked away and tried to escape. But it was too late. Sakura pulled out her kunai, which she had dipped into poison for this very moment. She whispered an apology—to his parents, to Itachi, to Team Seven, and to her younger self—for not saving the boy she loved. Sakura let her tears flow freely as she pierced the kunai into Sasuke's chest. The poison was so lethal it didn't matter where she hit, but she wanted it to be a quick death. It's what he would have done for her, after all.

Sasuke twisted around in agony and collapsed onto the floor. Sakura's clone finally died and vanished into the air with a _poof. _Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Naruto cough up a crow. She shook her head and turned back to her first love, who still looked handsome even in his last moments.

She kept her back to Naruto and Itachi, and focused the last bit of chakra to his heart. She could heal him right now. Bring him back to life and maybe he would change. But Sakura only stared as Sasuke drew in labored breaths, each one more sporadic and uneven. His eyes had turned into their usual dark ebony—a color Sakura always thought was the most beautiful.

"This was the only way I could help you," she muttered. "You were too far gone."

He made no move to reply. The Uchiha already looked like he was dead, but his eyes drifted ever so slightly to her right, where the crow landed on Sakura's shoulder. She frowned in confusion as it flew onto Sasuke's chest. He nodded, as if almost to himself, and lifted his hands. They trembled with the enormous effort to even form seal after seal. Sakura watched as Sasuke finally ended the jutsu, and placed his hand on her cheek.

"Don't cry…for me…Sakura," he said. "You look so much prettier…when you smile."

Sasuke closed his eyes and his lips curled upward. It was almost like he was taking a peaceful nap, instead of the one-way trip to death's door. Gradually, his chest stopped rising and falling, and his hand slid from her cheek. Sakura held onto it like it was the bit of water on a scorching desert. Her vision blurred with a fresh batch of tears but she couldn't bring herself to blink them away.

"Good-bye, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. His skin still felt warm, but the life was vanishing from his eyes. She squeezed his hand and cringed as her stomach clenched up horribly. Did she do the right thing? Was it too late to save him? The sounds of fighting and yelling had quieted down, but Sakura couldn't bring herself to face Naruto or Itachi. Her tears did nothing to soften the blow of what she had done. Even now, all Sakura could think was, _I've killed Sasuke. I've killed him._

* * *

Once again, thanks so much for reading! =)


	13. Lost

**Chapter Thirteen- Lost**

* * *

"Move," Sakura heard a voice behind her say. She felt like a ghost; hovering over the violent scene. She nodded numbly and found herself shifting over to allow room for—Karin.

The bright red haired girl shoved Sakura aside and positioned her arm under Sasuke. She was sniffling and kept rubbing her eyes, but her actions were purposeful as she said, "Sasuke, are you still with us? Bite my arm! I can save you, can you still hear me?" Karin adjusted her eye glasses and tilted her head so close to the Uchiha it looked like they were kissing. Her lavender shirt was damp with sweat.

Sakura couldn't stop shaking. This was the first time she had seen Karin since their fiasco at Kage Summit. She had healed the girl from Sasuke's stab, with tears sliding down her cheeks. Now, the roles were totally different.

"I had to did it because…" Sakura began.

"Not now," Karin waved her off before Sakura could explain herself. "I'd hate you, but you were the one who healed me all those months ago, so I guess I'm in no position to really say anything. And to be honest, you had the guts to do what should have been done a long time ago."

Sakura shifted her weight to the side and touched her injured cheek lightly. "Kill Sasuke?"

"No. I mean stand up for yourself and let him know you were done with his games. But I won't let Sasuke die here. He saved my life back when we were a team. I know it looks like he doesn't give a shit about any one around him, and maybe that's true, but I've seen moments were he would do anything for Taka," Karin growled and practically forced Sasuke's teeth onto her arm. "Come on! I know you're tougher than this!"

Sakura felt like this was the right time to mention the kunai had enough lethal poison to kill exactly one-thousand rats, or forty humans, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. She felt another presence behind her.

"Can you save him?" Itachi asked. Even when his own brother lay dying, he kept his voice cool and his face impassive. He sounded like they were discussing the weather—but of course, Sakura knew better. She swallowed nervously and felt each hair on her neck stand up. What did he think of her now? A thousand apologies flew through her mind but she couldn't bring herself to utter a single one.

Karin gasped and let out a low moan. The whole situation would have been very awkward if she didn't explain herself between jagged breaths. "Yes…I think he bit me…but it was a reflex. Still, as long as he breaks my skin…I can heal him," she said. Now Sakura understood Karin's abilities; her arms were littered with teeth marks and scars. Sakura shuddered and gave a silent _thank you _to Tsunade for teaching her safer medical techniques.

"Is he breathing?" Itachi asked. But he didn't wait for an answer and bent his head towards Sasuke's chest. He kept one hand on his neck to feel for a pulse. Sakura didn't move as Itachi pressed his lips together and held his brother up. Karin cocked her head to the side and began to object, but one cool glance from Itachi and she shut her mouth.

"I can handle it from here, but thank you for your help. I know he hasn't been as kind to you as he should have…" Itachi rose up and smoothly carried Sasuke away. He didn't even acknowledge Sakura.

Karin blushed and twirled her hair. "It was no problem, really! But he's still a jerk."

Sakura looked around and only then realized all the Edo-Tensei ninja had vanished. When had this happened…? Naruto walked up to her and explained it, "I think Sasuke used a jutsu to get rid of his clan. They just vanished out of thin air. I'd figure you need to know, since you were a little busier earlier."

Sakura wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck. She needed any kind of comfort. "Oh, Naruto. I didn't _want _to kill him. It was the last thing I ever wanted to do. But I prepared a kunai just in case that would finish the job. When I saw how he treated us and ordered our own deaths, I had to do what needed to be done. Otherwise you and Itachi would have been fighting Edo-Tensei all night. We all would have ended up dead from exhaustion or wounds or…I'm sorry…I just didn't know what else to do—"

"I understand, Sakura," Naruto's muffled voice rang out. It was only then Sakura realized she had been slowly crushing Naruto in the hug. She released him and straightened out her shirt self-consciously.

Naruto took a in a breath and said, "I'm just surprised you could actually do it. Last time, it didn't go so well. But I know one of us would have had to take him down. I'm glad you put your village and your friends before him. Sometimes, that's what a shinobi has to do for the greater good."

Sakura could feel tears bubbling up again, but she forced them back. It was times like these she could really appreciate Naruto. No matter how terrible the act, he tried to understand someone's point of view and always see the light in anyone. "Thank you…"

"Now, there's still Orochimaru to deal with," Naruto gathered several clones together. "I already told Itachi I would take care of him. I can't leave Hinata and the rest of her clan fighting him alone. There's something I have to tell her when this whole mess is over. Something I should have told her long ago."

Sakura had a good idea of what that was, but she let it slide and asked, "Do you have enough chakra to go on? I can give you some. We can't have you fainting when you're dealing with someone like Orochimaru."

"You're talking to the guy who had a village-eating demon for a chakra source. I think I'll be fine!" Naruto laughed.

Sakura smiled weakly. "Do you think he'll be okay…?"

She didn't have to mention his name to know who this was about. Naruto bowed his head in thought. "There's only one way to find out, isn't there? And I'm not sure how Itachi feels about what happened. Even now, it's still difficult to know what's going on in his head. But I would try to talk to him, it couldn't hurt, right?"

_Hurt as much as pulling teeth, _Sakura thought, but she only nodded as Naruto patted her shoulder reassuringly and dashed away to the other side of Konoha. As much as she wanted to find Itachi and explain herself, there were a few other things she had to do first. She glanced back. "Karin, how does freedom sound to you?"

* * *

Hinata had always liked the small fountain placed in the middle of the Hyuuga district. It had been built many generations ago and the water was crystal clear. Koi fish swam aimlessly in it. When Hinata was younger, she would escape her room late into the night to watch the fountain. She loved the way the moonlight made the water glow and the fish a pearly luminous color. It calmed her down more times than she cared to say.

Which is why, when Orochimaru smashed it to a million unsalvageable pieces, Hinata felt nothing but fury. The rogue ninja (who should have been dead long ago at Itachi's hands) had somehow managed to slither his way back into Konoha and wreck havoc yet again. He broke into the sacred Hyuuga headquarters and stole priceless information and secrets people in their family had died to protect.

He stood where the fountain had once been. In both hands he held several scrolls that belonged to her clan. Hinata and a few other Hyuuga members stood ready to attack; their numbers were small because most of them had traveled far from Konoha with the Alliance. Her younger sister, Hanabi stood next to her. She had rarely let fear get the best of her, and even facing a legendary Sannin, Hanabi still seemed unfazed.

Hinata tossed her hair over her shoulder and straightened her back. "You _will _pay for your actions, and return our ancient scrolls to us. That knowledge is for our eyes only." The truth was, her legs were shaking. She feared Orochimaru even more than the Pein or Kabuto. There was something so disturbing about the older man that put her on the edge. Not to mention, she wasn't confident they could defeat him and the Uchiha that Sasuke had raised from the dead.

Orochimaru must have seen through her façade, because he only let out a cruel, slow laugh. "Or what? You can do nothing against me. Although I'm more interested in the Uchiha clan, I can't resist learning the secrets of your ways. If I remember correctly, Sasuke told me what's why Kabuto had kidnapped you…"

The two men next to Orochimaru smirked. One of them had shark-like teeth and held a huge sword, the other had bright orange hair and had exploded into rage just moments before.

One of the Branch members of the clan dashed in front of Hinata and shielded her with his body. "Hinata-sama, you must take refuge and find a safe place immediately! Take your sister and go. We will hold them off until we can get reinforcements."

Hinata stepped around him. Her eyes never left Orochimaru's as she said, "As heiress to the clan, it's my duty to defend it. Neji-san and my father are not here now, but they would want to see me fight to protect our clan's honor. Hanabi, come by my side. We can face him off together. Everyone else, behind us now!"

Hanabi bounced next to Hinata and activated her Byakugan. "I'd thought you'd never ask. Let's show them why they don't mess with the Hyuuga!" Times like these, her sister reminded Hinata of Naruto. She let a smile grace her lips before focusing her chakra to her hands.

At that moment, Naruto jumped next to her. He smiled as the other clan members whispered around him. It was common knowledge in Konoha that the alliance had to protect Naruto against Akatsuki. Many people had wondered why he didn't try to face off the enemy himself. Some had even called him a coward; even after all he did against Pein. Hinata knew better though and resisted the urge to hug him out of relief that he was still alive and well. Lately, she had been more open with her feelings.

"You're here…" she said. Orochimaru scowled and began to make rapid seals.

Naruto and a few of his clones surrounded the area, blocking their enemies in. "Of course, where else would I be?"

They all charged towards the Sannin, who growled and said, "You think I'll go down so easily! You fools, you forget who you're dealing with. I killed your precious Hokage and destroyed your village. I can easily do it again!"

Naruto took out a few explosive kunai. "Enough talk. Let's fight!" He threw the kunai into the air, where smoke and mini-bombs erupted everywhere. Naruto launched himself towards Orochimaru; Hinata and her sister followed suit.

The battle was one of the fiercest she'd ever fought—three of their clan members had been killed by Orochimaru and the ninja with the large sword—but they managed to overpower them. Hinata had coordinated a strategy that Neji commonly used to disable the enemy. He always told her there was strength in numbers, and with the Hyuuga clan this became even more apparent from their devastating jutsu. At one point, Hinata ordered Hanabi to flee the scene when they thought Orochimaru would win. But Naruto used his immense chakra to lend everyone his power, and that led to their victory.

Now, Naruto crouched low, resting his hands on his knees and panted heavily. Sweat dripped down Hinata's brow and she wiped blood off a wound on her forehead she didn't even know she had.

The orange-haired ninja lay sprawled on the ground. Hanabi and four other Hyuuga had managed to overwhelm him before he could explode into rage. Orochimaru was still conscious—Naruto had used his sheer speed to dodge of all the Sannin's attacks and blast him with a Rasengan. A large, gaping wound bled through Orochimaru's shirt. Blood dripped down his mouth. He ground his teeth together and said, "I can't believe such an incompetent, untalented child has come so far. It sickens me to say you're almost as good as Sasuke-kun. But I'm not done yet…"

Naruto scoffed, but Hinata could tell he was at his limits too. Giving the rest of her clan chakra had drained him. She was about ready to collapse herself. Only two other people from their side were still able to fight. She wanted nothing more than for this to end.

"Oh yeah?" Naruto said. "Bring it on!"

By now, the sun had begun to set. Hinata could see the fading light reflected in Orochimaru's green eyes. His dark hair covered part of his face. He slammed his hands together and a sword slid out of his mouth. Saliva and blood dripped from the blade, and Hinata tried not to look away in disgust. She had to remain focused.

Naruto didn't wait to see how good Orochimaru's sword mastery was; he and several other clones darted towards him and attempted to take him down via Taijutsu. The Sannin easily dodged Naruto's punches and formed a final handseal.

A time seemed to stop. Naruto stood frozen while the rest of his clones disappeared. Orochimaru chuckled and slid his sword near the blond's neck. Hinata realized at once it was Genjutsu—but it was too late. She wouldn't be able to reach Naruto in time to cancel it out. She doubted she had the chakra control needed to even accomplish such a task. Her heart thudded as she helplessly watched Orochimaru aim his sword at Naruto's chest.

"Stop!" A young girl sped from one of the buildings nearest to them and aimed a chakra-powered kick at the Sannin. He easily sidestepped the attack and swung his weapon at her. Hinata saw the glint of the moonlight reflect off the sword, and her eyes opened wide with horror as she recognized the girl who had been brave enough to confront the legendary ninja alone.

"Hanabi!" screamed Hinata and rushed towards her. At the very moment, Naruto broke free of the Genjutsu and sent a strong kick directly at Orochimaru's wound. He stumbled back and coughed up more blood.

"Damn you…I'm not strong enough to use my more powerful jutsu…you got lucky this time," the Sannin said. With those final words, he jumped on one of the roofs and fled the scene. No one went after him—everyone was focused on Hanabi, who clutched her injured abdomen. The young girl whimpered in pain and squirmed around. Hinata brushed the tears from her eyes. She had to be strong for her sister.

"Hanabi, it's going to be okay. We'll get you help immediately. One of the medical ninja must be around, healing the others…" Hinata busied herself with trying to stop the blood. She turned to the other two Hyuuga members, who looked shell-shocked. "What are you waiting for? Go get someone, now!"

Naruto crouched lower and rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "Damn it all. If only the Kyuubi was able to break me out of that Genjutsu, she wouldn't have tried to save me. It's all my fault that this happened. I was supposed to protect everyone!"

Hinata didn't take her eyes off her sister, who had fallen unconscious. "Don't blame yourself for what happened. You can't shoulder everything alone, Naruto. Her injury may be painful but she will be okay." Even now, the bleeding had subsided a little. Luckily Orochimaru's aim had been slightly off; otherwise Hanabi would have been cut into two. Hinata shuddered and tried not to imagine the terrible thought of it. Two medical ninja who she recognized from the hospital rushed over with her relatives and gently pushed Hinata aside. "We'll take it from here, dear," they told her.

Naruto stood up as well and sighed heavily. He looked as if he had the world on his shoulders. Hinata watched as the medics applied healing chakra and lessened the bleeding even more.

"I still can't believe she did that…" Hinata said.

"Konohamaru confronted Pein and saved my life. I think we should have more faith in the younger generation. We'll have some competition when we want to be promoted to team captain, huh?" Naruto said. "But you're right; it looks like Hanabi will be okay. I know one of the medics and she's really good."

"I always found medical jutsu fascinating," she said.

Naruto didn't reply, but when he lightly touched Hinata's arm, and she knew he was listening. "There's something about it I can relate to. I know as the heiress I have to lead the clan—sometimes into battle—but I found saving lives so much valuable. I wish it didn't have to come down to life or death. I just want it all to end. I don't think I could ever see Hanabi like this again. Or after what happened to Neji…it scares me to know he'll never be the same again."

One of the medics spoke quietly to her colleague and rushed over to attend to the other injured Hyuuga.

"Hinata, you're one of the bravest people I know. You, your sister, Neji. I guess being the hero runs in the family. I think Neji will grow from what happened. No matter what, he's still talented and he has a family to support him," Naruto said softly. "It's been a long day, though. I just wanted to tell you…about what you told me long ago…that time with Pein. I told myself I would be honest before it was too late. If this war taught me anything, it's that no day is guaranteed to us and there are no certainties in life." His cheeks grew pink and he shuffled around awkwardly. This was probably the first time Hinata felt more confident around him than he did.

"And?" she asked.

"And I…" Naruto reached for her hand.

"Hinata-sama! Your sister is being taken to the hospital now. We'll have to round up more medics to help the rest of the clan. But I think everyone will be okay," one of her cousins called out.

Hinata saw Hanabi being put on a wooden stretcher. She touched Naruto's cheek lightly and said, "I have to go, but we'll talk later. Don't worry about Sasuke or me or anyone else and just rest for tonight. You've earned it." She rushed to help them carry her sister towards the nearby hospital, which was no doubt already packed with others who had been hurt by the Uchiha or Orochimaru. Hinata looked back over her shoulder and saw Naruto, who gave her a small wave and didn't leave until they walked out of sight.

* * *

"Ugh, I think if I try to move my neck, you're going to have to heal a pulled muscle," Karin grumbled. She stretched out her back and yawned.

Sakura, who had been hunched over for the past hour healing injury after injury, felt the same. She was used to it as a medic; as long she there was someone that needed help, her work never ended. Citizens and low-level ninja stumbled to them for assistance. Many apartments and the Hokage tower had been broken into. Glass shards and wooden pieces were scattered everywhere.

"I know it can be a pain, but doesn't it feel so rewarding?" Sakura said. She slipped off her medical gloves and rolled her neck around. They had just finished up on the last few people who required critical attention. The truth was Sasuke had been merciful towards most of Konoha's ninja. Sakura had been dreading doing a body count—but only Orochimaru had killed anyone. She felt another pang of guilt. Another reason she had enjoyed the past hour was because it distracted her from what she was going to have to do.

"As rewarding as waking up to find Suigetsu drawing a purple cow on your face," Karin mumbled.

"Um…totally," Sakura said. She stood up and brushed some dirt off her knees. "I think that's it for now, thank you so much for your help."

The other girl rose as well and placed a hand on her hips. "So, you'll try and see if Tsunade can pardon me then?"

"I don't go back on my word. I'm sure she will, anyway. It sounds like you just had a string of bad luck during your life and you would make a good addition to any team. How did you escape from your jail cell anyway?" Sakura asked. She peered up at the starry night. The pungent smell of alcohol and blood floated through the air.

"During that whole Uchiha clan mess, there was a ton of confusion, everyone was distracted, and I was able to make a quick get away. I had to knock out a few of your guards though. Sorry about that," Karin said, although she didn't sound too apologetic.

"Oh, I see," Sakura observed, making a mental note to talk to Ibiki about maintaining tighter security.

"Well, this doesn't make us friends or anything. Now I guess we're even. I may actually stay in Konoha, it's not too bad of a place," Karin said while she inspected her fingernails. "I mean, it could use a few more clothing stores and most of the women here need a major makeover. But on the bright side that means I'll have no trouble getting a guy's attention!"

Sakura had no clue how to respond to that, so she just gave an awkward wave, and with a smile said, "See you around, Karin."

She had a feeling she _would _be seeing more of Karin. Tsunade would have to take advantage of the kunoichi's rare skills; even she could be a bit eccentric. Sakura wondered how her sensei was doing. She had been so focused on protecting Konoha Tsunad and the rest of the war had slipped her mind. While Karin had wrapping up a woman's broken arm, Sakura slipped away to check on her parents. They were shaken—but okay and healthy. She couldn't look them in the eyes when she explained what Sasuke had done and how she had been forced to retaliate.

By now, the sun was beginning to rise. The streets were empty and the newly built shops abandoned. Sakura sighed as she continued on. How much more terror would Konoha be subjected to? She took a deep breath and exited the village gate, giving a curt nod to the young Chuunin guarding it. Iruka stood by him and waved. His leg was bandaged from the ankle up.

Sakura felt the cool air sooth her injured cheek as she jumped from tree to tree. She had been dreading this moment all along, but she knew it couldn't be put off any longer. But the question was—where to find them? Sakura stopped to rest and close her eyes for a moment to think. When she opened them, she saw a bit of dried blood on one of the leaves. Sakura frowned and decided to follow the trail. Random bushes were pushed aside and twigs were broken in half as if stepped on. Whoever had been here had no time to cover their tracks. A fox darted through the forest and out of instinct, Sakura felt compelled to follow the animal. She made her way to a small lake that was surrounded by apple trees. The sweet smell of flowers drifted into the air; and Sakura could see a figure on the other side. By the time she reached Itachi, Sakura already wanted turn back.

Sasuke lay in his arms, pale as a ghost. Sakura inched towards them and slowly sat down on the dewy grass. The lake water glittered under the sunrise light. Itachi's hand kept still at the fresh wound on Sasuke. It was only then Sakura realized what he was doing.

"You can heal?"

Itachi didn't even spare her a glance. "Did you think I was incompetent in that area? I'm not a mere Chuunin, Sakura."

"Yeah but…you just never mentioned it."

"There were a lot of things I never told you," Itachi said dryly. He placed Sasuke gently on the grass. The unconscious young man didn't stir, but he was breathing. "Like the reason I had confidence in my brother's ability to change for the better, no matter what happened. A year ago, I placed a jutsu in Naruto that would force Sasuke to convert to Konoha's side. It was given to me by my best friend, Shisui before he died."

Sakura felt her heartbeat increase rapidly. "You never told me that. You never told me _anything. _Even when I asked you…I was afraid you would kill Sasuke. And then when I saw how much he had chang—"

"I told you to trust me. Why was that so difficult to understand? Even before my fight with Sasuke, I kept the plan with Naruto as a back-up. No matter what lies Tobi had fed him, he would eventually return to the village. That much was guaranteed."

"So brainwashing him was so much better? You never would have given him the chance to make his own choices?" Sakura said. She stood up and paced around angrily. Her words flew out of her mouth before she would stop them. "This is the problem with you, Itachi. You don't let anyone in. Not I, not Naruto, not even your own brother! If he would have been forced to change and fall under some illusion the rest of his life, he would have been better off dead."

"No," Itachi said sharply. "He wouldn't."

"Sasuke isn't your play thing. Taking away the power to make his own decisions—no matter how terrible they are—is worse than anything I can think of. And why didn't you bother to tell me? Why did you make me think that killing him was the last resort?" Her voice broke despite her effort to remain impassive.

Itachi didn't answer and looked away. He kept his focus on Sasuke; his knuckles were white with tension.

"It's because even you knew it was wrong. You knew I would tell you this wasn't the right thing to do for Sasuke and he wouldn't want that for himself either," Sakura said. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a fish splash out of the water. The morning mist was beginning to clear and the sunlight streamed through the area. It was hard to believe she had been awake a full twenty-four hours.

"It was not your place to decide to kill hi—"

"And it wasn't yours to decide to put him under some eternal Genjutsu," Sakura cut off.

They stared down each other in silence. Even if Itachi cared for her, they could never work together if he continued to stubbornly cling to his own plans. Why couldn't he have told Sakura the truth?

"Sasuke released the Edo-Tensei," Itachi said. "Most of Konoha had been spared."

"So he has been put under that jutsu then?" Sakura asked. She remembered seeing Naruto cough up something…had it been the crow?

"That, I don't know. I saw Naruto release the jutsu but when I summoned the crow again, it still hadn't been used. And this is a Genjutsu that is so powerful it can be used only once every ten years," Itachi explained.

The realization dawned on Sakura. "Then Sasuke ended it on his own terms." He must have had a change of heart seconds before he thought he would die. The last words he spoke to her flew through her mind. It had been like before he left Konoha….

_Thank you, Sakura. _

The kunoichi sat down again and looked at her old teammate. She expected to feel the love she experienced all over again after she had woken up and recalled his words to her all that time ago. For years, Sakura tried to decipher the deeper meaning behind them, and if Sasuke loved her after all. But now there was nothing to feel. Getting over Sasuke should have been a monumental moment, with fireworks in her heart and inner-Sakura cheering to mark the end of a long journey. Yet she only felt as peaceful as the lake next to them. She thought of the terror she felt when Itachi had almost died against Nagato. The warmness when Itachi declared his feelings for her right in front of Sasuke. The certainty that he would protect her no matter happened. Even now, Sakura could see Itachi didn't hate her like she assumed he would. She leaned over and brushed some of the hair out of his eyes, which were as warm as his mother's had been.

"I can see where you get your kindness from," Sakura said.

Itachi's throat visibly swallowed, but he said nothing.

"I'm sorry for what I did. That moment will always haunt me and it made me become a person I never thought I'd be. But I wouldn't take it back. I had to protect the people closest to me and the place I call home," Sakura said.

Itachi's skin was cool under her touch. He turned his head to Sasuke who was still unconscious. "The place _we _call home."

One of the apples from the tree fell softly next to them. The bright red hue stood out against the mass of earthy greens and browns. Sakura felt her breath hitch. "You mean…you're returning to Konoha?"

"I suppose I have no choice. Now everyone knows of what my family attempted to do, thanks to Sasuke," Itachi said with a slight roll of his eyes. "I want to be there to defend him, if possible. He has a lot to answer to for his actions and he needs all the assistance he can get. Besides, people saw me there fighting by you and Naruto's side. I don't want anyone thinking you are both are affiliated with an S-class criminal."

Sakura grinned. The air felt so much lighter—maybe everything would be all right. A few hours ago, it seemed as if the world had ended with Sasuke's order to kill them. A small seed of hope was planted in her mind. "_And _you get to clean up your reputation. That's pretty important too, you know," she said with a wink.

Itachi pulled Sakura closer to him. His arm wrapped around her waist; she could feel his lean muscles against her back. "Image means nothing in the grand scheme of things. What matters is who we truly are—not what others think of us."

"I wish someone could have told me that when I was younger," Sakura said, thinking back to her days as the insecure girl who hid behind Ino. All the exhaustion from the night and day before was catching up to her fast. She rested her head against Itachi's chest and listened to his heartbeat. He felt warm against and smelled fresh as always. Sakura hoped she at least had a passable odor—she really needed to shower.

Itachi played with her hair and stroked her uninjured cheek. Until now, Sakura didn't know until now how good it felt to have someone massage your scalp. Her medical mind suggested it was all the nerve endings, or it maybe Itachi could have been a massage therapist in another life. His hand moved to the other side of her face where Sasuke had grazed her with his Chidori. Sakura started to pull back, but she felt the familiar soothing feelings of medical jutsu and realized Itachi was healing her.

He took more time than Sakura would have—not that she was complaining—and soon enough her skin was scar-free. "Thank you…" she said. She relaxed against his chest again and felt her eyelids closing on their own accord. Itachi's chest gradually slowed down in breathing and Sakura knew he was drifting off to sleep too. They would worry about Sasuke, Konoha, and the war later. But their future together…what would it be like? Sakura knew something had changed between them today, but how would the rest of Konoha take it? What would Naruto, Tsunade, or her own parents think of her? And even if Kakashi knew the truth, Itachi had once _tortured _him into a coma—that's not something that could be easily forgiven. Eventually all her friends and the rest of the alliance would return home. As time went on, the possibility of being rejected and seen as an outcast seemed very real to her. Sakura tried to escape those thoughts as she drifted off to sleep, but like a persistent virus, they invaded her dreams and infected them with anxiety.

* * *

Thanks for reading! =) I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible.


	14. Farewell

**Chapter Fourteen - Farewell**

Spoilers up to chapter 599 =)

* * *

It took a throbbing headache to make Sakura realize she hadn't eaten anything in the past twenty-four hours.

The strong scent of baked bread and cinnamon permeated into the air, making her nearly double over from the sheer hunger. Small children ran by her holding hands, their parents trailed cautiously by, looking around suspiciously. It seemed Konoha would never feel quite at peace. No matter what Naruto planned for the day he became Hokage, there would always be trouble in the horizon.

Sakura could hear the sounds of hammers slamming into boards and winced as a group of men walked by, talking in low voices about the past couple of days. She left Konoha gate once again and traveled back to the lake. It was pure luck that ANBU hadn't spotted Itachi and Sasuke yet; their services were needed to help investigate the attack and focus their efforts on securing the perimeter of the village. She spotted Itachi who was in the same location she had left him. She handed him a bag of pastries that were still warm.

"I brought this, you're probably starving."

Itachi politely demurred. His lips were curled into a frown and his skin was a sickly pale—he appeared almost nauseous. "No thank you, I had an apple while you were gone this morning."

Sakura let the bag drop lightly as she lowered herself to inspect Sasuke. Despite her ravenous appetite from before, she suddenly wasn't in the mood to eat either. Sasuke was still unconscious, she wasn't sure whether to feel worried or relieved about that fact. "Are you sure you want to go through with this…?" she asked.

Itachi was already standing up and bent to carry Sasuke in his arms. In spite of his unwell appearance, he had no trouble holding the younger Uchiha. Or at least he made it look that way. "It's the only way to make things right. It's only a matter of time before we're tracked down, and I can't hide forever. As much as I love Sasuke, he must answer to his actions." He began to walk in the direction that led to entrance of Konoha.

Sakura ran to catch up with him. She grabbed his arm, which felt clammy and cold. "Turning yourself into the village won't make things better. Right now there's a lot of confusion and anger towards your clan. If you bring Sasuke and yourself, you'll always be associated with what happened yesterday. No matter how innocent you were for all those years."

Itachi shrugged her off and kept going. Sasuke's head bobbed up and down with each resolute step. "And what else do you suggest I do, Sakura? Sasuke requires medical attention that only a hospital can provide. I know ANBU isn't exactly harmless, but they wouldn't kill either of us before they could get some answers. I need to tell the truth and let everyone know what happened ten years ago. It's my fault that it escalated into this mess. If I hadn't begged the Third Hokage to keep quiet to Sasuke, none of this would have happened."

Sakura couldn't think of anything to say to that. It was true that many people wanted justice. She had barely managed to fend off ninja who had seen her with Itachi. The few people who had seen her immediately cornered her when she went to the bakery and start questioning her. It was only a matter of luck that Iruka, who happened to be there, had to come to her defense and tell them she would _never _side with the traitorous Uchiha Sasuke. The whole fiasco was so confusing Sakura wasn't sure what to even tell any one. To make matters worse, she hadn't seen Naruto all morning to talk to him about what happened. Although she heard at the bakery shop that he and the Hyuuga clan had fought off Orochimaru.

When they were about a hundred yards away from Konoha's gates, Itachi turned to Sakura and said, "Now, you must leave. I don't want you to be more involved in this problem and risk getting into trouble. Sasuke and I will both be detained immediately, so wait for a while before you come back."

Sakura eyed an orange and white butterfly that fluttered past her. She pushed back a strand of hair and leaned against one of the trees. "I thought you wanted to be free. Giving up everything like this…I don't think it's right or fair. Maybe for Sasuke. Yes, he deserves _some _kind of punishment after what he put everyone through. But I'm scared of what will happen to you. Let me try to talk to Naruto and—"

"No," Itachi interrupted, his tone gentle but firm. "Right now, the situation is extremely tense. Sasuke has just committed treason and you need to keep yourself out of this. Both you and Naruto have bright futures ahead…I don't think you understand how the Elders are going to react to this. They're powerful people with almost as much influence as the Hokage and if they found out you worked with me at all, you could be tried for treason and associating with the enemy," Itachi said.

"They were the ones who ordered the massacre! They deserve to answer for their actions. And why do they have so much authority over what happens?" Sakura said.

"No one has any proof of that except Danzo and the Third Hokage. Both of them are dead. It's my word against theirs, but I'll do whatever I can to at least spare Sasuke from an execution order. The sooner I can clear the air and provide the right information without the Elders' interference, the better," Itachi said. He glanced down at Sasuke and adjusted his grip on him.

Sakura tried not to cry, but holding back tears and staying calm when the situation called for it had never been her biggest strength. Life lately had been one stressful event after another. She turned away and wiped her eyes. It wasn't her intention to make this harder on Itachi than she needed to. "When you said you were going back to Konoha, I didn't expect it to go like this. I know how traitors are usually treated when found guilty, and I'm not sure if I'll ever see you again."

Itachi's eyes softened when he saw how upset she was. "Don't worry about me. It won't accomplish anything and will only create an unnecessary burden on you. There's enough going on and Konoha is still in jeopardy with Madara. Work on what I taught you in Genjutsu and keep training."

"You're not just some teacher to me, Itachi!" Sakura cried out. She lowered her voice and tried to reason with him. "You made me know what I wanted in a relationship. And I finally gained some confidence in myself. I felt like I could get over Sasuke, and become a stronger kunoichi, and be just as good as a leader as Naruto or Tsunade-sama…"

Itachi sighed and placed Sasuke gently against a fallen, mossy log. In two steps he was holding Sakura and said to her, "I want to thank you, for helping me become a better person. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had the courage to confront Sasuke and tell the truth to Konoha. When Tsunade returns, she will hear all about what happened. Then perhaps when this is all over, I can live as a free man. But for now, don't give up on your dreams to become a great medic. You don't need me, or Sasuke, or anyone else to have that confidence." He kissed her cheek and added, "You're the most attractive to me when you believe in yourself."

Sakura wrapped her arms around his shoulder. "That's really sweet of you to say. I just hope you know what you're prepared for. The interrogation team may be harsher since times are so tense right now. I still can't believe Sasuke pulled that kind of attack, but maybe when the truth gets out, people will be more understanding. Or at least that's the best we can hope for," she said.

"Sasuke can be…difficult. But I'll always love him no matter what. I hope he can forgive me one day. All I want is for him to be pardoned," Itachi said. "How are your parents by the way?"

"They're safe and well. They want to know what I've been up to these past few weeks to, and I don't even know what to say. I'm not ashamed of what happened between us, but…things are so uncertain right now" she trailed off awkwardly. Suddenly, Sakura felt guilty for even saying that. Itachi cared for her like any loving boyfriend should, and she didn't want him to feel any more guilt than he needed to.

"I understand," Itachi said, although he couldn't hide the pain in his voice. "Had this been another life, where I never had to chose between my family or Konoha, it would have been much easier to pursue things with you."

"Oh no, then I always would have been Sasuke's teammate to you. You'd probably have a girlfriend by the time I met you," Sakura said, in an attempt to change the subject. Her words did hold some truth: if Sasuke was popular, Itachi would only be ten times more sought after, with his talent and prestige as an ANBU captain. She smiled at the thought of a jealous Sasuke competing with his brother over who had the most admirers.

"You confidence in my ability to attract women is flattering," Itachi said dryly.

Sakura stood on her toes and flung her arms around him in a sudden embrace. Because frankly, who knows when she would see him again? "Your ignorance on how attractive you are is adorable," Sakura murmured in his ear. She could sense his shudder and the way his muscles tensed up from the unexpected contact.

Itachi smiled and gently and pushed Sakura against the tree. Her back curled into the trunk and she sighed in contentment as he breathed into her neck and pressed his lips against the sensitive skin. Then she kissed him; loving the way his body felt so perfect against her own. Itachi's hands roamed lower down her back. They slipped under the edge of her shirt, and Sakura bit back a moan as his chest pressed further into her own. She clung to him and his grip around her waist tightened, his other hand inching higher under her shirt. Everything felt so wonderful and she wanted nothing more than to stop life at this very day, this very moment.

Itachi's hands pulled away and he gave Sakura one last, lingering kiss. "If there wasn't a chance my brother could wake up and see us like this, I would be tempted to do so much more," Itachi said. His cheeks were slightly flushed and his hair was disheveled in such a cute way from Sakura's hands combing through it. She loved—and as much as she hated to admit it—even envied the softness of it.

Itachi noticed and smirked. "I use fresh, chilled spring water. Kisame was actually the one who told me about that; apparently it's the secret to their well-kept hair. He also mentioned it's the easiest way to get blood stains out after a gruesome slaughter," he added with a cringe.

"With what I heard from Kakashi-sensei, I couldn't imagine someone like Kisame giving anyone beauty advice," Sakura giggled.

"Contrary to popular belief, we criminals do like to maintain a groomed appearance. No one takes a ragged-looking opponent seriously," Itachi said in a matter-of-fact manner.

"You sound like you're talking from experience," Sakura laughed. "And I wouldn't trade my hair for the world, but I wouldn't mind a day where I didn't wake up with a million knots to deal with. Why does your family seem to get the most amazing genes?"

Itachi scoffed and backed away from her. All the sudden, the comfort of the last few minutes seemed to disappear as soon as it had come. "I never really noticed. To be honest, I always thought we had pretty dull colors. It was a shock if we had someone with brown hair," Itachi said.

Sakura shook her head. "Oh no, you don't know how long it took me to learn how to coordinate outfits with the color pink. And whenever I'd get a sunburn, I apparently looked like 'a giant, mutated strawberry,' as my classmates so kindly put it. It didn't help that my dad packed that fruit for my lunch that day."

Itachi's eyebrows rose up and he patted her shoulder. "If it's any consolation, I find strawberries to be delicious."

"That's not really the point, but thanks," Sakura said. She smiled as Itachi bent to pick Sasuke up. A breeze blew through the area and she couldn't suppress the shiver that rain down her spine. Sakura knew this was the last time she would be seeing either of them for a while. Itachi stepped over a small rock and said, "This is for the best. Once again I find myself at Konoha's mercy, but perhaps this will be for the last time. Whatever happens to me or Sasuke, don't allow it change your opinion of the village."

Sakura only stared at him, at a loss for words. "How could it not? I'm not as selfless as you, Itachi. If they decide to execute you, I'll never let that go. I'll track down those stupid Elders and…"

Itachi cut her off with a kiss. "I admire your determination, but I can take it from here."

The sudden desire to run away had taken over. Over the past couple of days, Sakura thought about leaving more than once. She adored Konoha, and all of its people and unique culture. But shinobi lifestyle could be so unbearably _difficult; _and the idea of them forcing Itachi to kill his own family made her question the morality of the place she swore to protect. Suddenly, she understood why Itachi had taken refuge after his battle with Sasuke and chose to watch over him from afar. Still, now wasn't the time to voice such wishes. There was a steady stream of injured shinobi being sent from the war back to Konoha, because of the lack of medics and the severity of their injuries, so she would be constantly working at the hospital. Sakura knew in her heart she had a duty to stand by her village—even if it wasn't perfect.

As if he could read her thoughts, Itachi smiled and said calmly, "The place you come from may not be ideal, but it will always be home. You've given me just another reason to appreciate Konoha. And if they decide to execute me, I _do _know in your heart, you will find the strength to move on and be happy with someone else."

Sakura knew by the broken tone of his voice and the way his hands shook that Itachi didn't want to truly die, and why should he? He was so young and had so much potential. And yet he still talked about his impeding death like they were having a casual discussion about the weather. The area behind her eyes began to ache.

The wind grew stronger and she could feel drizzles of rain drops. Sakura glanced up at the sky, and when she looked back, Itachi was gone. It was only at that moment she allowed herself to cry in privacy. Sakura dreaded the next few days—when she returned, she would have to pretend like everything was fine and put on a false smile. Sakura couldn't believe that only a few hours ago, she wondered what people would think of her and Itachi. Now, she would be thankful if she would even getthat opportunity again.

* * *

Later that night, Sakura was alone in her room. Her parents had been overjoyed to see her and they finally had the time to talk over dinner. After the past couple of weeks, Sakura's life had been turned up-side-down. It had taken such a tumultuous—and romantic—turn she didn't know what to say when they questioned her about the latest events.

"Well," her mother said between bites of steak and noodles. "As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. But I do wish you would tell us more about what's going on. You look so thin and stressed out…have you been eating regularly?"

Her father cleared his throat and placed his chopsticks down, before saying "You've been through a lot, and I know that something is weighing on your mind. Rest up tonight and we'll talk more about it in the morning. We are just thankful to have you back with us. You can't even imagine how worried we were about you, especially after we heard about that crazed ex-teammate of yours." He placed a comforting hand on Sakura's shoulder, but she could only numbly chew on her tasteless food. How was she suppose to tell them about Itachi? She returned to Konoha about an hour after he left her, and people were already buzzing about how ANBU squad immediately detained both Uchiha brothers without any resistance. Of course, there was nothing but happiness and relief over the news.

The wooden clock on her dresser struck midnight. Sakura turned over on her side and watched as the moonlight outside streamed into her room. Everywhere she looked, she was reminded of Team Seven, or the war, or him. Sakura finally sat up in bed and padded over to her desk, where a photo of the old Team Seven stood. For the past three years, she would hope for the day she could be reunited with them. She scanned her medical books in her bookself, looking for something particularly dry to read to put her to sleep when she heard a tap on her window.

Sakura whipped around to find Naruto hanging by the edge. She rushed over and opened it, letting the cool breeze and her good friend in. He had a small bandage across his cheek, but other than that he looked healthy.

"Naruto…" Sakura said in mild surprise. She hugged him and whispered, "I was worried about you. How did it go against Orochimaru? Is everyone alright?"

Naruto's voice was unusually muted. "Yeah…that snake freak got away though. But Hinata did amazing in battle, as well as her sister. We managed to fight him off and hopefully we won't have to deal with any more attacks. I'm here because Sasuke is conscious and alert. He wants to see us."

Sakura blinked. For a few seconds, the only sound in the room was the steady beat of the clock. "W-what does he want? And how did you find out he's awake? I know he and…Itachi are in custody."

Naruto inclined his head in confirmation. "I'm not sure if you heard, but Kakashi recovered and was sent back to Konoha as soon as news got out about Sasuke's attack. Tsunade is busy with the other Kage dealing with the rest of the Edo-Tensei Kabuto left, so for now, Kakashi has been declared temporary Hokage. He contacted me earlier about Sasuke waking up. Ibiki is interrogating him as we speak."

If it weren't for the fear of waking her parents, Sakura would have jumped and cheered in joy. "So Kakashi is in charge? This is great! He can help fight for Sasuke's cause and maybe even convince everyone to pardon him if he faces a suitable punishment. And he knows about Itachi, so he can be released as well and—"

"Sakura, I'm not sure it's going to be that easy," Naruto said. He fidgeted a bit, clearly looking uncomfortable. It was only then she realized why he seemed so subdued. He wasn't here to bring good news. "The thing is, Kakashi isn't sure what is going on with Sasuke. If he can be trusted or ever welcomed back. He's waiting to see what Ibiki says, but for now he wants us to speak with him. I know it's late and we've had a rough few days but…"

"No, of course," Sakura said. She was already reaching for her boots as she spoke. She hadn't expected to talk to Sasuke so soon. Why did he want to see her anyway? What if he tried to attack her in a fit of rage? Sakura brushed off the fears from her mind as she tied her headband around her forehead. She had to be strong and face him. She gave Naruto a small smile and they snuck out through the window in silence. Sakura doubted her parents would want to hear about her talking to a boy who tried to kill her twice, but what choice did she have?

* * *

Konoha's prisons and interrogation headquarters was far from glamorous, but it looked like a resort compared to other villages. Still, the dimly lit hallway and grey walls did nothing to lift Sakura's already downtrodden spirits. The air-conditioning blasted through the area. Her nail-beds were a light shade of purple from the frigid temperature. Their footsteps echoed on the dusty while linoleum. Posters of wanted criminals with impassive faces plastered the walls. Sakura did a double-take on one that displayed Sasuke's impassive face. He had been wanted for several million—dead or alive. Naruto led her to a Chuunin who looked like he would rather be anywhere else. He stood guard outside an iron-locked door, eying the clock across the hall. Sakura's stomach clenched at the thought of who was inside.

"Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto?" the Chuunin asked. He held a clipboard and casually checked something off on the paper. "Sign here."

"What is this for?" Sakura asked while Naruto scrawled his overly-large signature on a form with miniscule print. It would take a good ten minutes to get through the first page, let alone the next ten.

"It's a waiver stating that Konoha is not responsible for any damage that may be inflicted by detained suspects. You'll be fine though, Ibiki will be with you and no one screws around with him. I've only seen an attack happen once and the visitor only lost an eye,"the Chuunin said.

Sakura's breath hitched, and Naruto fell into a sudden coughing fit in what was perceived to be shock. "_An eye_? What a relief to know he was perfectly okay. I can always grow one of those back," Sakura said.

The sarcasm either went over the Chuunin's head or he was far too bored to care. He took the form back from Sakura, who had signed it with a nervous twist of her hand, and unlocked the door using several seals. The sound of metal screeching against metal created such an unpleasant noise she grit her teeth. The door creaked open and the guard waited for Sakura and Naruto to tentatively enter.

The interrogation room was completely dark except for a bright light that was centered on Sasuke. His normally silky hair was greasy and unkempt, which the light only made more apparent. The small space was even colder than the hallway; perhaps a technique to force prisoners to open up more. In fact, Sakura envied the large sweater Hinata usually wore right about now. Ino would probably go into hypothermia within minutes with her outfit.

Two shadowy figures stood in front of Sasuke. One of them was tall and built. Sakura recognized him as Ibiki by the dangerous aura that radiated off of him. The way his stare could bore into you and detect the slightest hint of a lie always unnerved Sakura. She felt anxious around him even when she was being one-hundred percent truthful. Although he did excellent work that brought Konoha results, her heart went out to anyone who ever had the misfortune of being questioned by him. A smaller man stood behind him. He kept pushing his glasses up and was fervently taking notes.

Sasuke's head was bent so low his hair obscured his eyes. He didn't even acknowledge Naruto and Sakura, who waited in baited silence. For a few seconds, no said anything.

"Sasuke Uchiha," Ibiki's low voice interrupted the tense atmosphere. "You wanted to speak with Sakura and Naruto. Since you have been cooperating with us, I will allow you to talk with them for a few minutes. We've obtained all we need to know about the massacre, but we will check with your brother to make sure the stories match up. If you try to escape or use any force, we will immediately take the necessary action to make you cease, and further consequences will be sanctioned. Five minutes." He gave a curt nod to his assistant, who ran over to unlock the door again with a few seals. "Get any information on Madara that you can out of him," he murmured to Sakura and Naruto, out of earshot from Sasuke, before shutting the door behind him with a final _click_.

Sasuke's head was still bent low. It wasn't even apparent if he had even heard Ibiki's words, and Sakura wondered if he would speak at all. The same thought must have been going through Naruto's mind, because he got to the point. "Why did you want to see us, Sasuke?"

The younger Uchiha finally lifted his head, and it took all of Sakura's willpower not to gasp in shock. His face was bruised and battered, his skin purple and ashen under the harsh florescent light. The worst thing was his eyes, which looked so lifeless and dead Sakura could only think of the last time she had seen him conscious. It seemed all his strength had left him; a stark contrast to the power-crazed, manic look in his eyes as he fought her.

_Oh, Sasuke, what's happened to you? _Despite it all, she felt nothing but pity. Sakura stepped forward and said, "You may hate me, and that's okay. But you must understand that I'll always have a place in my heart for you. However, that doesn't mean you can rule my life like you used to. I…have no regrets over what I had to do, Sasuke. I hope more than anything you can come back to us, but I wouldn't change a thing. And you should have called Karin here to thank you for saving your life. Again."

Sakura's muscles were rigid with fear, but also fueled by adrenaline and courage over what she had to say. She had been dying to get some closure on this long, draining part of her life. Naruto's hand formed a fist in an effort to keep his composure. "You were my best friend, Sasuke. But I have to agree with Sakura. I want us all to be a team and to work together like we used to, but I had to give that up when I saw you try to kill the person you most cared for," he said.

"I…" Sasuke began. He shut his mouth and folded into himself even more. It was obvious he was involved in an intense internal debate on what to say.

The heavy sound of air-conditioning traveled through the room. It was only a few seconds later, Sakura recognized another sound—the tired, desperate sobs coming from Sasuke. He inclined his head down again. Tears dropped on to the table and his shoulders shook. "I'm sorry….I'm sorry for what I've done. I just wanted my family back to me. That's all I've ever wanted and desired in this life. When I saw Kabuto raise Hinata's mother back, all I could think of was my own. And so I learned the jutsu and had Orochimaru kill all those prisoners and use Edo-Tensei. But the way my parents looked at me…it was like I had already died and that young boy they raised was gone. When you stabbed me, Sakura," he looked Sakura dead in the eyes, and her body froze. "I welcomed death with open arms. Because I knew the second I ordered my own parents to kill Itachi, I had lost myself. I was just as heartless, selfish, and_ despicable_ as Danzo. It took a damn near death to get me to realize that."

Sasuke let his body crumple in one ragged exhale. He looked as though he had spent days trudging in a smoldering, dry desert with no water in sight. Naruto gripped the back of the chair that was placed in front of the table and said quietly, "If you want to change Konoha, you'll have to start with yourself. I know what it's like to crumble to the bottom and feel like you're never going to get back up. But if I crawled my way out of my misery, so can you."

"Itachi will forgive you," Sakura added. She stepped closer to Sasuke, deciding that he wouldn't attack anybody, and reached over to place a hand on his shoulder. It felt so rigid and strained, weighted down by stress that had tortured him for years. At that moment, she knew things would never be the same between the three of them again. But perhaps one day they could still be teammates—friends even. It would take years of healing and learning to trust Sasuke again, but she was determined. She thought of Karin's words, _there was a time when he would do anything for Taka. _A few years ago, he would have done the same for Team Seven.

Sasuke's reply was so low Sakura nearly missed it. "I would…like that."

The light flickered a couple of times, startling Sakura out of her thoughts. There was a short tap on the door and Ibiki strode in, his black coat billowing behind him like a shadow. Had it already been five minutes? He nodded to Sakura and Naruto, who both knew it was time to leave. She turned to get one last look at Sasuke, maybe shoot him a reassuring smile, but he had already bowed his head again. Ibiki took a seat and said, "Hope you enjoyed your little chat. Let's continue on with our…discussion."

The door shut tightly behind and the assistant was waiting outside. He rubbed his eyes a bit and jotted down some more notes, oblivious to the two young shinobi. The guard led them down the hallway towards the exit, but Sakura grabbed his arm and said, "What about Uchiha Itachi? How is he?"

The Chunin's eyebrow shot up and he said, "That's classified information."

"Could you please at least tell me where he's located? Would Ibiki-san know—"

"Haruno-san, I'm just the guard around here. I don't have the authority to disclose this kind of information, and unless you're willing to take the heat from Ibiki himself I won't be breaking any rules around here. Like I said, nobody messes around with that man. Not unless you have a death wish."

Sakura felt anger surge through her. She knew it wasn't his fault. He was only doing his job, but the fact that Itachi was innocent and didn't even deserve to be rotting away in some cell, wondering what fate awaited his brother, made her furious. Naruto must have sensed her frustration and placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in mid-protest. "Listen, I'll see what I can do. Let's go and talk about this…somewhere else."

They exited the Interrogations unit and walked outside. Naruto led her to an alleyway that smelled distinctly of old fruit and garbage. "Sasuke must have told Ibiki the truth, because even that man looked shaken up. I'm not sure Ibiki knows what to believe, honestly. But this means things will look up, right? Kakashi-sensei wants to see me today and I'll talk to him some more about it. Maybe he can pull some strings for Itachi and Sasuke."

Sakura picked at her nails and paced around anxiously. Naruto's words should have brought her some comfort, but why did something feel off? Try as she might, she couldn't find security in his words. "You told me weren't sure about Sasuke…"

"Yeah, but if he's cooperating, then it might work out. I think he's going to change for the better. You can see it in the way he was acting. All of this nonsense about revenge and Itachi can finally just go away…" Naruto said, his voice taking its usual optimistic tone.

"I just want them both to be alright," Sakura said. She realized this was the first time talking to Naruto since he found out about her deeper feelings for Itachi. She bit her lip self-consciously and began, "About Itachi, by the way…"

"I suspected something was going on. Despite my track record, I'm not as dense as people make me out to be," Naruto said with a sheepish smile. He reached out and gently touched Sakura's wrist. "Is this was you want though? Itachi seems like a nice guy, but I think both him and Sasuke will need a lot of time to recover. Restoring their relationship with Konoha and establishing a better reputation requires months and maybe years. So for now, do you want people knowing? You're going to face a lot of careless hate, Sakura."

"I know. If this whole mess ends I have a lot of explaining to do. But I do care for him and I know he feels the same. We're going to need time to work through our issues…but I think it will be worth it in the end," Sakura said. Although he brought of up valid points, she was stung by Naruto's words. Truthfully, she expected more support from him.

To her chagrin, Naruto still didn't look convinced. "I don't think you realize what it's like to face a whole village of people shunning you. I grew up with everyone thinking I was something that I'm not. Yeah, I had a demon inside me, but that doesn't _make _me one. To face that kind of universal fear and anger for something you're associated with…makes every single day a challenge."

Sakura stared at her friend, trying to figure out what exactly he meant by that. "So you think Konoha will shun me for being with Itachi? Including all of our friends from the academy, even after they learned the truth?" The thought of Ino or even Rock Lee turning on her brought on more distress than she would have liked to admit.

"It's a possibility. He was a wanted criminal for killing his own family for eight years and that's something that won't be easily forgotten. It takes a lot of work to change people's opinion once it's set. Plus, if Itachi takes responsibility for what happened to Sasuke—and knowing him, he will—then everyone will just blame him for the Uchiha attack," Naruto said.

"And since when have you cared about some strangers' opinions? You're Uzumaki Naruto! You've never given into what people wanted or thought about you, otherwise you would still be that obnoxious kid who got nowhere in life. Now the village loves you, and you're suggesting I just ditch him because he won't be welcomed?" Sakura retorted.

"The truth is," Naruto said with a shake of his head. "I _do _care about people's opinions. We all do. It's what pushed me to fight so hard to become stronger and be taken seriously. I only wants what's best you. If you want to continue on with what you have with Itachi, I'll support you one-hundred percent as your friend. But _as_ your friend, I'm also telling you it won't be easy."

Sakura closed her eyes and turned away. "I've heard enough. I have to go…" and she leapt up on the rooftop of the building closest to her ignoring Naruto's cries after her. She took the short-cut back to her home and stormed in with a distracted wave to her mother. Out of all the people she thought would understand her trepidation, Naruto had been the one she thought she could count on. To her utter dismay, it sounded like he only wanted to warn her about fears she was already painfully aware of. Maybe that's why he had sought to caution her—he knew what it was like to face rejection from people who couldn't even begin to understand.

* * *

The next week crawled by excruciatingly slow. Sakura made numerous attempts to find out how Sasuke or Itachi's case was pending, but her effort brought no results. Yesterday morning, she cornered Ibiki and drew up the courage to ask him what was going on. He only crossed his arms and said, "If what both of them are telling me is true, then we have a huge case on our hands. The Uchiha clan may have been suspicious, that much is true, but planning a coup? I'm not so sure. And honestly, I just couldn't imagine the Third Hokage ordering…" he drifted off before he could say any more.

"The death of their clan," Sakura finished. "Couldn't you look into Itachi's reports and find anything about that mission?"

Ibiki grunted and said with a hint of impatience, "We've scoured through all the files and found nothing. Either he wasn't ordered to it and this is all a lie…or the evidence was misplaced or tampered with. I understand how you must feel for a fellow friend, but what we're dealing with is treason on both Itachi and Sasuke's parts. These are very serious crimes, and we won't take them lightly."

Sakura could only grit her teeth in frustration as Ibiki said a quick good-bye, stepped around her, and went on his way. _Of course _Danzo would take pains to ensure he made sure his dirty work stayed hidden. Since his assassination, Root had crumbled and all the members were freed. Sai in particular was happy (or as happy as his stoic manner would allow) and spent most of his time painting. "I never liked that old geezer anyway," he said while sketching a tiger one lazy afternoon. Sakura never thought she would see the day where she _wanted _Danzo to be alive so he could be questioned. Meanwhile, Kakashi had proven to be of little help. He was swamped with work that Tsunade hadn't had time to catch up on and was dealing with the war that many of their soldiers were involved in. Everyday, he would assure Sakura, "Later, later. I know this is important, but I have thousands of lives that are depending on my orders. I've told Ibiki-san not to do anything rash or run any trials until I gave my consent. They are safe for now, Sakura, but please bear with me." And she would be ushered out of the Hokage's office.

She tried to busy herself with taking extra shifts as the hospital and helping Shizune supervise medics-in-training. It was rewarding work as always, and Sakura never failed to appreciate the heartfelt praises patients sent her way. On her days off (which she tried to make sparse as possible) she spent time with her parents. Since her conversation with Naruto, things had been tense and they rarely talked. But more than anything, Sakura missed Ino dearly. She wanted to talk her best friend about her dilemma, and the worry she experienced everyday. The thought of Itachi alone in a jail cell…what if they were torturing him? Beating him and depriving him of food, water, and sleep until he broke down and told them what they wanted to hear—that he had killed the clan out of spite and Sasuke was the evil product of his actions. Sakura knew Itachi wouldn't give in so easily, but it didn't bring any comfort to her either.

She ran a hand through her hair and began her trek back to her apartment from the hospital. The sun was just beginning to set, and Sakura had promised her mother she would be home to help prepare for dinner. Shizune practically forced her out of the hospital, saying, "You must rest. I can't have you fainting while at work or else you'll start to make errors and you'll just be another patient. I know these times are hard, but you need to give yourself a chance to relax." She knew Tsunade's assistant was concerned and viewed Sakura like a little sister, but she didn't know how to tell Shizune that the only way she could calm down was when she was at work, lost in the complex world of medicine.

Just as Sakura was nearing the street her apartment was located on, she saw Hinata walk out of the flower shop Ino worked at part-time. She was clutching a bouquet of fuchsia tulips and squeaked in surprise at the sight of Sakura.

"O-oh! Hello," Hinata greeted with a timid smile. She waved with her free hand and walked over to her.

"Hi Hinata," Sakura greeted. She realized it had been a while since she saw the Hyuuga. She knew she must be busy helping to build back up their damaged community and recover all the scrolls Orochimaru had taken. "Those flowers are beautiful, who are they for?"

"My sister, Hanabi. She's still recovering in the hospital. Apparently Orochimaru's sword had a coat of poison on it, and they're working it out of her system. She should be healthy enough to leave tomorrow, if all goes well…But thank you, she loves fuchsia so…" Hinata held up the flowers in the fading light and examined them fondly.

"Yeah, Shizune has been monitoring Hanabi. To take a hit from a guy like Orochimaru must have been tough, but she'll recover in no time! How have you been lately?" Sakura asked.

"As well as the circumstances allow. I've been given a lot more authority on my clan, they're finally learning to respect me. And Naruto and I…we hung out yesterday. We went over to the nearby fields and picked out apples, and then swam in the lake," Hinata smiled, as if she could hardly believe her luck. "It was the first time we actually got to just enjoy ourselves and live in the moment. He's been worried about you, though."

"Yeah, we had a bit of a misunderstanding. But it's not big deal, really. I needed time to be alone and focus on myself. I'm glad you both got to have some quality alone time. Naruto is a good guy," Sakura said. She watched Hinata's face slowly grow pinker. "Anything else you want to tell me?" she asked, drawing out the first part of the question.

By now, Hinata was twirling around the flowers and staring at her shoes as though they contained some fascinating secret. Sakura could tell she was practically bursting with something to say and it would only be a matter of time before…

"He kissed me," Hinata whispered. She brought her hands to her mouth and turned away. Her hair obscured her face, but it was clearly bright red from embarrassment. Sakura's eyebrows rose; she hadn't been expecting Naruto to actually make a move.

"That's great! And just as I was thinking I was going to have to force him to finally take you out on a much-deserved date. I'm glad for you, and you guys are so cute together," Sakura said. She hugged Hinata, who only bashfully looked away.

"…T-thank you. I still can't believe it happened myself. When I told Neji, he was pretty skeptical at first, but he warmed up to the idea. He can be over-protective at times, you know? I'm not sure what my father will think, but I'll go forth with my own desires. I can't allow him to rule my life," Hinata said. Her normally diffident demeanor took on a whole new confident outlook.

Sakura only thought of her own situation with Itachi and nodded in agreement. Once again, she could learn a thing or two from the Hyuuga heiress. She smiled at the ecstatic girl that had once been a shy wall-flower nobody paid any mind to—including her own family. She only proved the notion that a person could change for the better, and everyone had the potential to grow to be respected. Perhaps that why Sakura hoped Hinata and Naruto would work out well together—they both understood that struggle in their own way.

"Well, I have to get going, my parents are expecting me," Sakura said. She waved a good-bye to her friend and said in the most off-hand way she could muster, "I know Naruto has a lot of stamina, so you won't be too disappointed in _that _department!"

The look on Hinata's face was a mixture of sheer mortification and shock. Her thoughts were probably something along the lines of _oh-my-god-did-I-just-hear-what-I-think-I-heard_ to …_hell yeah! The perks of dating a Jinjuuriki! _

Sakura allowed herself a quiet laugh and gave a final farewell to Hinata. She walked back to her apartment with a little bit more bounce to her step than before. Even though it hadn't solved any of her immediate problems, it was nice to talk about frivolous topics once in a while. At least Hinata and Naruto were happy, and that's all she could ask for.

Right when she had been fishing out the keys from her bag, Sakura stopped in her tracks to see none other than Kakashi. He was reading a copy of _Icha-Icha_ and snapped it shut as he soon as he spotted Sakura. He was leaning against the lamp post by her apartment. Because of the mask that concealed his face, she couldn't determine if he was pleased or upset.

"Kakashi-sensei…what brings you here?" Sakura asked. "Not that I mind, but I'm just surprised to see you."

"I have some news for you, Sakura, and I'm assuming you'd like to get right to the point. First off, I want to thank you for being so patient while I tended to my duties as the temporary Hokage. It had been difficult, arduous work. The war against Madara has not been easy by any means, and I had to make some difficult decisions. One of them involves Naruto," Kakashi said. He pushed off the lamp post and stepped into the light. His silver hair was high-lighted by the orange light that glowed from above them.

Sakura pulled her hair out of the pony-tail it had been messily thrown in while at work. "Okay…"

Kakashi continued on; something told her this wasn't going to be pleasant news. "It turns out the masked man is _not _Madara as we once believed. In fact, the real Madara has been raised from the dead by Kabuto. So, we must redouble our efforts to take them both down before it's too late. That means sending Naruto in to help us. Now, I've talked with the Elders and they acceded that if Sasuke agreed to accompany Naruto to fight for Konoha, he would be pardoned of all crimes. They are desperate to win this war, and they understand the difficult past he's been through in the last few years. He may have killed Danzo, but the man was in hot water with his division of Root and his own personal…actions. Sasuke also took down Orochimaru and Deidara, which aided Konoha greatly, and that must be acknowledged. However, he must stay under constant supervision and report to Tsunade every few weeks for the next year."

Sakura dropped her bag in surprise. This was truly a shock: Sasuke would be allowed to live a crime-free existence in Konoha. He could get a second chance at happy life after all. She thought back to his remorse he expressed to her and Naruto…those emotions were genuine and there was no faking those tears. He had always been a good person at heart, and it was nice to see the Elders had seen that trait for themselves. "That's awesome news, Kakashi-sensei, and I'm sure you must be thrilled to hear that as well!"

Kakashi's eye twinkled in the light. "I am. It's nice to have a student of mine come back to many years, I blamed myself for Sasuke's abandonment of the village and I truly thought he had fallen too far to be saved but…this is one of the few times I'm happy to admit I was wrong. Naruto and Sasuke are leaving tomorrow at dawn. When that's done, perhaps if they're lucky, they can recruit some people to help track and kill Orochimaru for hopefully the last time."

Sakura allowed herself to breathe in happily. Suddenly, the air felt crisper and the flowers that bloomed recently smelled so much more fragrant. "Then that means Itachi should be joining them soon, right?"

At this point, Kakashi looked down and didn't answer for a moment. It seemed like he was trying to find the right words to say and he started off uncertainly, "Sakura, I wasn't as successful in convincing the Elders about him."

"What? That doesn't make any sense…you know about the clan's plan to rebel and Itachi's orders to eliminate them. It wasn't his fault. Naruto and you told me that yourself, as well as Sasuke and Itachi. Everybody knows the real reason," Sakura pointed out.

"Ah, unfortunately that isn't so true. Naruto, Sasuke, and I only heard the story from that masked man, who at this point could by anybody. Itachi confirmed it to be true and all the facts do match up. But the burden of proof lays on us to provide solid evidence that he was ordered to kill his clan. When Sasuke raised his family back, there was so much commotion and panic, that no one could get a confirmation from them either. The Elders have been adamant about the need for proof and they couldn't be swayed, no matter what I said," Kakashi said.

Sakura could hardly believe what she was hearing. And like always, Kakashi sounded neutral and reasonable about it all. "Don't you understand though? The Elders want Itachi to take the blame! If it's found out they are responsible for pushing him into taking that mission, then they'll face charges and prison," Sakura said, trying to ignore the growing panic.

"I know," Kakashi admitted.

"Then why is Itachi still being held prisoner? Sasuke won't rest until his brother is safe in Konoha anyway," Sakura said. She didn't want Kakashi knowing quite yet her feelings for the older Uchiha.

"Listen, I know that this is hard for you to hea—"

"That's what _everybody _keeps telling me, but they don't understand," Sakura said. Her hands balled into fists and she had to fight to keep her voice calm. She knew he was innocent. Itachi couldn't fake the compassion he felt for his brother, or the remorse that was so evident in his eyes when he talked about his family.

"Understand what exactly, Sakura?" Kakashi countered. He eyed her suspiciously.

The kunoichi opened her mouth to retort, but she found herself at a loss for words. How could she explain herself? Why she felt so passionately about allowing her teammate's brother to be released?

"…it's nothing," Sakura could only say.

"You cannot be certain that Itachi is innocent. For now, it stands that he admitted his crimes eight years ago, and that's all the evidence they have to present. There are countless reports and photos documenting the scene. The most incriminating evidence however, is of Sasuke's testimony when he was a young boy, and when he was forced to witness the clan's destruction through Tsukiyomi. That sealed Itachi's fate, Sakura," Kakashi said in a defeated tone.

"And what _is_ his fate?" she asked. Her voice sounded small even to hear own ears; her heart hammered in her chest with such frightening speed it felt like it would burst.

Some of the flower petals flew by and landed at Sakura's feet. One of them was already fading into a dying shade of brown. Kakashi met her gaze and for a split-second, he looked like he could see right though her façade and understood everything. There was nothing but sorrow in his voice as he said, "Execution."

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! There are a couple of chapters left for me to write, but it has been a lot of fun, and I've learned a lot along the way. I really appreciate everyone's input. =)


	15. Discovery

**Chapter Fifteen - Discovery **

* * *

The bad news hit her in the gut like a punch from Killer Bee. Sakura doubled over and clutched her head. No matter how much she tried to blink away her tears, they came spilling over. She wanted it to be a bad dream, a figment of her imagination, _anything _but true. When Kakashi had told her the news that Elders had ordered Itachi a swift execution, she thought she misheard. Only then, did Kakashi understand how far Sakura's feelings went for the older Uchiha. After a moment's pause, he had placed a hand on her shoulder her and tried to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura. It kills me to be the one to tell you about this…from what Naruto had said, I had a feeling you and Itachi had something more going under the surface. I wish I could tell you it will be easy to get over, but it won't. In some ways, you never move on past your first love," Kakashi paused, closing his eye. He had come dangerously close to spilling his own past, his strained voice threatening to rebel against his normally calm nature, but he pulled himself together and said, "As long as Sasuke is okay, that's all Itachi wanted."

"No, no, no…This isn't right. There has to be another way to avoid it. He had already come so close to dying when the masked man tried to poison him. I saved him when he protected us against Nagato…" Sakura took a deep breath and held on to Kakashi. What she needed more than anything was someone who would reassure her everything would be okay. The impulse to find Tsunade, who would _never _stand for this, and tell her everything nearly overtook her. Those damn Elders. How many lives had they sentenced to death, how many reputations had they so carelessly ruined, just so they could save their own pathetic skin and hold on to power another few years?

Kakashi kept murmuring advices and life lessons that he had learned. He knew Sakura wasn't listening—she was too much in shock to absorb anything—but he kept talking all the same, so she wouldn't be alone in her own thoughts. "The best I can tell you, is that time heals all wounds. I never forget the people I lost," Kakashi said. "But eventually, it hurts a little less each day. Having Team Seven, Gai, Kurenai and Asuma around…they became like a family to me."

Sakura found it in herself to nod and shakily tell Kakashi she would be okay. He looked at her uncertainly, and she remembered him promising to check up on her. Sakura muttered good-bye and stepped inside the apartment. Her mother rushed out to greet her and asked where she had been, but she could shake her head, holding back another sob, and escaped into the privacy of her room. She had been preparing herself for such an order. But why did it feel like her world had been turned upside down? Foolishly, Sakura had been entertaining daydreams of how she would spend her time with Itachi in Konoha. She would introduce him to new restaurants and cafes that had been built since he left. He would meet all of her friends, and soon enough her parents. Once everyone become accustomed to the fact that he was innocent, they could hold hands and walk down the street together, admiring the beautiful scenery Konoha had. He could teach her more Genjutsu. Each potential image tore through her mind, and every single one hurt because Sakura knew it wouldn't happen. Itachi's future had been ripped away from him. How could she obtain the evidence? What could possibly be done?

The sound of pots and pans rattling together broke her out of her reverie. It reminded her of that time ago, when Itachi had cooked for her in his home. Even when they were strangers, he had been kind. Her heart wrenched when she realized there were so many questions she hadn't been able to ask Itachi….how he felt about being in Akatsuki all those years, who was his greatest inspiration, hell, even what his favorite _fruit _was. _I never really got to know you, did I? _she thought. They always seemed to be concerned about the war or Sasuke.

Hope surged through Sakura and she balled her hands into fists. She wouldn't let this happen. The day Itachi was executed for following orders was the day hell froze over. A powerful, determined side of her took charge and without further ado, Sakura sat at her desk, turned on her lamp, and began to plan.

* * *

At one point, Sakura must have dozed off after hours of meticulous work, because she woke to the sound of tapping at her window. Cursing her need for sleep—she had only meant to take a brief nap—Sakura turned to see none other than Naruto and Sasuke. Now instantly alert, she flounced over and flung open the window. Naruto hoped in to her room as if he did it all the time, and Sasuke cautiously followed.

"Hey guys," Sakura greeted. "Are you leaving for your mission?"

"Yeah, we are. Sasuke will redeem himself by breaking out those awesome skills he used so often used against us. It's gonna be a great bonding experience for the both of us, right Sasuke?" Naruto said as he wrapped an arm around the now very alarmed looking Uchiha.

"You've got a lot to catch up on. But you have to tell me how it goes, and bring back a souvenir or two," Sakura giggled, though inwardly, her heart broke at the thought of what she was going to have to tell Sasuke. She had a tentative plan, but she had no idea it would work or it was just desperation talking.

"How about I bring back Madara's—or whoever that guy is—mask? I can't wait to rip it off his face," Sasuke growled. "And then punch into the ground him until he's a bloody mess," he added, just incase anyone needed any clarification, which no one did.

"He's been such a pain. Or as Shikamaru would say, troublesome," Naruto said with a roll of his eyes.

"That's a bit of understatement. I want you both to be careful when you're facing him off. Honestly, I'm still not sure if sending you was such a good idea, but I suppose the alliance needs you. Naruto, you especially are a target," Sakura warned.

"I know, Sakura-chan. He's not someone that can be taken lightly, but with the rest of the alliance to back me up, I think we stand a chance" Naruto said. "But why aren't you coming along? I was surprised when I didn't see your name on the official mission report. To be honest, I'm even more surprised that you didn't offer to go with us yourself."

"I think I can answer that question," Sasuke said.

Sakura nervously swallowed and waited for him to explain. If Sasuke did know, he surely wouldn't go along with Naruto anywhere until Itachi was released and safe. As she was brainstorming, the thought to find Sasuke and tell him the news about his brother's execution order crossed her mind more than once. But somehow, she had a feeling that this had to be something she took on herself. The only thing stopping her was that Sasuke was already on such shaky ground with Konoha. Honestly, Sakura was at a loss of what to do.

"I know about what's going on with Itachi," Sasuke said,

Well, there went _that _worry.

"Sasuke, I—"

"Let me explain, we don't have much time. I know about those bastards and their plans to execute Itachi. Kakashi himself told me. Naturally, I was already halfway out the Hokage's office to finally end those geezers once and for all, when he stopped me. 'Think, about it Sasuke, there is a reason it's only you and Naruto on this mission,' Kakashi said. And I realized, if I stayed and fought them, I would be captured and killed. Itachi and I would both die in disgrace, our clan's reputation would be ruined permanently, and I know that's not what he wants. It's not what I want, either. But then I thought of you, Sakura."

Naruto, who was clearly out of the loop, brought his fists together and said, "_What? _This is news to me! I thought they weren't going to decide a verdict on Itachi's case until after the—"

"Quiet, idiot," Sasuke said. "Let me talk, we don't have much time."

Naruto scowled, but stayed silent as Sasuke continued. "I have my pride, but I'll admit that you, Sakura, are the most book-smart out of all of us. Kakashi purposely kept you here in order to put that that intelligence to use, and find evidence that Itachi was ordered to finish off my clan. It's up to you to present it before the execution date—three days from now. Now, I'm not sure how I feel about you…canoodling with my older brother, but I _do _know you care about him enough to do something about this injustice. Do you think you could prevent this?"

"I'll give you my word. When you get back, Itachi will be there to welcome you home," Sakura said.

For the first time in four years, Sasuke smiled, and it showed in his eyes. He leaned forward and gave Sakura a quick hug, which nearly drove her into shock. "S-sasuke…" was all she could say.

"Thank you, Sakura," Sasuke said. She thought of that moment he left in Konoha, and she knew he was thinking the same. It was amazing how the same words could be used in such a different context. Had someone told her this was going to happen a few months ago, Sakura probably would have wept with elation. How her feelings changed so quickly was still a mystery. Perhaps she never really loved him at all; there was a fine line between lust and love, after all. The most touching part of this conversation was the Sasuke trusted her enough to rescue the one person he cared for the most in this world. It meant more to her than any love letter could.

"Man, you gotta warn people if you're going to turn into some mushy-feely kind of guy! And also, canoodling? Really?" Naruto said. Sakura only laughed and hugged him as well. Truthfully, she was going to miss both of her friends to a point where it hurt. It was stressful enough worrying about the rest of her peers, and she had to stay determined and steadfast. The next few days were going to be lonely, but at least she had her parents and Kakashi-sensei to talk to. She would be busy trying to find something that could be strong enough to make a case to exonerate Itachi anyway. For now, Sakura wanted to savor the last few moments with her teammates.

"You're one to talk, Naruto. I heard about you and Hinata," Sakura giggled.

The blond turned a furious shade of red and sputtered out something incomprehensible, while Sasuke crossed his arms, shaking his head. "I never thought I'd see the day where a woman would willingly go out with you. I guess you really have grown up, idiot."

"Shut-up! I'm already nervous as it about impressing Hinata's crazy-strict father. He's in the war right now, so he's totally clueless. I don't need anyone else questioning what we have going on," Naruto said. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Aw, you've got nothing to worry about. How many times do you have to save the village before he acknowledges you? Any girl would be lucky to have you," Sakura said.

"Thanks, I only hope Hinata's dad and the rest of her clan feel the same way. And now we're off to save the village one more time. We should probably get going…" Naruto gathered his bag and turned back to the window. "I'll see you later, Sakura. Try to put in a good word for me with the Hyuuga clan. Maybe spread around a rumor that I saved a kitten stuck in a tree or something."

Sakura rolled her eyes and playfully punched Naruto, taking care not to use her strength.

"If you saving Konoha from Pain, and then Orochimaru won't impress them, I doubt a kitten story will," Sakura said.

Sasuke snorted back laughter and began to walk back to the window, "Good luck, Sakura." Naruto waved cheerfully and added, "You can do it!"

"You too, you guys," Sakura said. She captured a mental picture of this moment to store away—the moonlight hit them both as they ducked under the window, and gave one last look to her—she wanted to keep it forever in her memory. Just incase they didn't come back. It hurt to much to even entertain such a thought, but Sakura wasn't ignorant to the harsh, unfair shinobi lifestyle. Good, nameless people died young all too often. Not everyone received all the glory Hokage and famous Jounin enjoyed. When Naruto and Sasuke vanished into the night, Sakura realized it would soon be dawn. She took a deep breath and retrieved the keys Kakashi had slipped her.

"These are to get into the Uchiha compound," Kakashi explained as he dropped the keys into Sakura's awaiting palm, earlier that day.

"Keys…? How would this help anything, though?" Sakura asked. Itachi didn't seem like the type to keep a diary discussing such top-secret missions. Neither did Danzo, for that matter.

"I can't discuss this in detail here. They have spies everywhere," Kakashi said gesturing around him. He lowered his voice down to a barely audible mumble. "Even in the privacy of the office, this isn't safe to talk about. So I'll be discreet. If you're going to find anything of use, it would be there. All the official files about Itachi have been altered to say one thing, and you need to find something about the _truth." _

Sakura walked back home in deep thought. If a young Sasuke never stumbled upon anything that would tip him off, how could she? Still, it was worth a shot. The memory of the conversation fueled her mind and strengthened her resolve. If Kakashi thought the answer could be there, then that's where she had to look.

After eating a quick breakfast and pulling on the cloak she had worn on the mission to find Sasuke, Sakura slipped quietly out the door. The streets were silent as she expected, and within minutes of hurried walking, Sakura could see the Uchiha compound in the distance. To this day, it still unnerved her. How Sasuke lived there for all the lonely years after the massacre was a mystery to her; it probably played a role in his obsession with revenge. Having to endure the constant reminder of the betrayal would take a toll on anybody.

The compound had been preserved, so everything looked just as it had eight years ago. The only difference was the complete lack of people. How absolutely still everything was. Sakura repressed a shudder as she walked into the gates and entered the community. She tried to distract herself by thinking about hanging out with her friends, the goofy smile her father put on to make her laugh, Kakashi's hilariously lame excuses for his lateness, but nothing seemed to work. As Sakura passed by each home, she noted the ripped walls and the bloodstains splattered along them. For the hundredth time, she wondered how Itachi had managed to go through with that mission.

A small, stray kitten jumped out from one of the small stalls, nearly making Sakura scream. She had honestly thought it had been a ghost. "There's no such thing," she kept telling herself. Sakura felt childish—she had _nothing _to worry about. The most dangerous foes were the ones who still lived. However, she knew if somebody spotting her snooping around this area, the Council of Elders would find out and that wouldn't end well at all. They would only push Itachi's execution date even closer.

After a few minutes, Sakura found what used to be Sasuke's family home. Her heart raced and her palms became sweaty, like she was standing on the edge of a cliff that led to certain death. Every step she took felt like her legs were made out of lead. She slowly slid open the door and stepped inside. From the stories Itachi told of his family, she could easily imagine them living here—his mother preparing the riceballs he loved, Sasuke talking eagerly to Itachi, his father looking on with a stern expression.

Sakura felt like she was intruding, but she forced herself to realize there was nothing to interrupt. She closed her eyes and they were gone, a mere figment of her imagination. She walked through each room, not entirely sure what to look for. The kitchen would likely have nothing to use as evidence, as well as Sasuke's room. That left Itachi and his parents. Sakura made her way down the hallway and peered into what looked like Itachi's room, based on the descriptions he and Sasuke gave. It was just as minimally decorated and bare as his cottage back in the forest had been.

Without further ado, Sakura quickly inspected his drawer and desk, looking for whatever could count as evidence. Besides a framed photo of his family on the desk, everything was empty spotless. Has Sasuke thrown all Itachi's possession out in a fit of rage…? What if he tossed out the one item that could be used to free Itachi? Kakashi might not have taken that into consideration. Willing herself not to panic, Sakura stood back and ran her hands through her hair. She paced around and tried to take note of every little detail. Finally, she left and found their parents' room. Half an hour later of thorough searching later, Sakura came out empty handed. Aside from some jewelry and clothing stored in the dresser, there was nothing of real value. Nothing that would tip off even the slightest hint they were planning a coup, anyway. She trudged back to the living room and sat down, confused and frustrated.

Why did Kakashi think she could do this? Why did _Sasuke? _The pressure of what Sakura had to accomplish weighed on her more with every passing second. Investigative work was not her specialty. She snapped her eyes shut and tried to think logically. If only Sai was around to talk to…

The answer came to her at the memory of her friend. She remembered Sai telling her once how Danzo sent an ANBU operative to him for the latest missions and gave him a last-minute document highlighting all the details. They were ordered to burn it afterwards, and Sai had never been able to discuss it in detail because of the tongue-sealing jutsu Danzo used, but Itachi had never been a Root member. Could he still have the document somewhere around?

Sakura stood up and rushed back to his room. Her heart raced as she took in the details of the space—the bed , dresser, desk. Something glinted in the morning sunlight, and her eye caught onto it. It was the framed photograph of Itachi with his family. At first, Sakura found it odd he would keep around any evidence of his true feelings at all, but then this must have been before he massacred the clan. Perhaps he kept it there to assure his clan he was still on their side when suspicions were high. She strode over and held up the frame. Without thinking, she turned it over, finding the smallest compartment. Had Sakura not known what she was looking for, she would have missed it. She opened the frame and pulled out the photo, and right behind it was an aged document.

Hardly believing her luck, Sakura held her breath as she opened the delicate paper. The words were so cryptic and appeared meaningless to the oblivious reader, with random patterns of script, but the dates were there. The official stamp of the Root was there. This was exactly what she was looking for.

"What are you doing here?" a cold voice said behind her.

Sakura's shoulders went rigid with shock. She had allowed herself to be vulnerable at the worst possible moment. In Konoha, she usually kept her chakra unmasked. Cursing her foolishness, she discreetly slipped the note into her pocket and turned around to see three ANBU members staring back at her. Their masks hid their expressions, empty eyes watched her every move for any signs of an attack.

"I said, what are you doing here? This is private property and under Konoha's jurisdiction," the ANBU member said again. He stepped forward.

"I…was just looking for something. Uchiha Sasuke wanted me to find an item in his old house for him. He told me before he left. But I apologize, and I'll be leaving now," Sakura said. She made to move past them when she felt a cold hand grab her arm.

"I suggest you try telling the truth the first time around," he growled. The other two ninja surrounded her.

"That _is _the truth," Sakura said. She didn't break eye contact and resisted the urge to whimper in pain at the crushing grip her arm was held in. She knew the Elders had hired ANBU operatives to find and destroy any evidence. The delicate note was mere inches away from them. The man glanced back to the photograph, where Sakura had left it opened and turned back to her. _He knew. _

"Arrest her," he ordered.

Before he could even finish the sentence, Sakura had wrenched her arm free with her strength. She channeled her chakra into her leg and kicked him in the ribs. Her powerful strength surprised him, and he hadn't guarded himself probably. He flew backward into the wall with such force, he broke through the room. Sakura evaded a punch from the other ANBU and shot off through the house. She ran out as fast as her legs could possible carry her, not daring to look back. Voices shouted behind her.

The gate was coming up. Sakura's mind wildly thought of where to go next. She could hear the ANBU men gaining on her. Their speed was truly remarkable. Sakura didn't want to attack her own people, but she had little choice. She flung back kunai and a couple of mini bombs she always kept on her. They exploded into smoke and small explosions. Hoping it made contact with a target, or at least impede them, Sakura dashed through the gate and back into Konoha's main street. Luckily, the Hokage Tower was within sight. By now, the sun had risen high into the sky and various people were out shopping or helping with reconstruction.

The only thing Sakura could hear were her own strained breaths and the thudded footsteps of her feet hitting the ground. She pushed past random civilians and ninja, who looked at her in bewilderment. The Hokage Tower was a few feet away. It was sheer luck the Elders had only hired a few people to destroy the evidence—she didn't think she could escape more than three.

Sakura burst through the doors and ran into one the ninja standing guard. He backed away and called after her, "Sakura? What's going on? Kakashi-san is in a meeting!"

There was no possible way to answer his question in a timely manner, for Sakura could already sense the ANBU members a few feet behind her. She scrambled up the stairs and flew down the hallway towards Kakashi's office.

"Capture her! She's to be arrested for trespassing!" the man yelled.

None of the guards standing by made a move. They looked to another in confusion and hesitation. Because Sakura had worked with Tsunade, she routinely visited the Hokage Tower and was welcomed due to her friendly attitude and impressive reputation. When Tsunade was held up in a late meeting, Sakura would wait around and make small talk with many of the ninja who worked for the Hokage.

Sakura thanked every god out there for their slowness to respond and crashed into the door to the office. Kakashi was seated at the desk, and looked up in surprise as Sakura stumbled into the room. "I've got…it...the evidence," she said between heavy breaths. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the Elders, whose faces were frozen in fury and horror. Her hand slid into the her pocket when the ANBU members ran in after her, moving to hold her down.

"What is this? Stop what you're doing," Kakashi said.

"She was in the Uchiha compound. You know no one is allowed there without consent by a higher power and—"

"_I _was the higher power that ordered it. Release her, now," Kakashi said. He stood up and glared daggers at the ANBU captain, who retreated and bowed, murmuring apologies.

"Who commanded you to track Sakura?" Kakashi said.

There was a moment of silence. The tension was palpable in the room. Sakura chest rose and fell with labored breaths. She didn't dare make eye contact with the Council.

The ANBU captain kneeled into a bow. His other teammates followed suit. "Forgive me, I was under the impression you had sent us this mission. We received notice a couple of days ago to destroy any paperwork in the Uchiha compound."

It was a rare sight for Kakashi to display his anger, but no one could deny the outrage that crept into his voice as he said, "And why would I assign you such a mission?"

"We…don't question our duties. Our job is only to complete them, Hokage-sama," the captain said.

All the breath seemed to leave Kakashi's body in one sigh. "Of course, I understand. You are dismissed." He too had been an ANBU, Sakura remembered. Second-guessing orders was borderline insane and this was not their fault. There was still the issue that someone had been undermining the Hokage's authority, but it was no small wonder who those people were. The ANBU members rose and bowed deeply again, before leaving quietly.

Her old sensei turned his attention to the Council, who had become very still. The man who worse glasses and white robes stood up and said, "This is obviously not a suitable time to continue our discussion. We will have to reschedule our meeting another time." His voice was cold and the glare he directed at Sakura was venomous. His companion—a woman with an elaborate bun made to follow him.

Kakashi didn't miss it. He motioned for then both to sit with a wave of his arm. "I think I know what this is about. Sakura, present what I sent you to do. I'm assuming your task was a success?"

Sakura handed Kakashi the document without a word, and he skimmed it silently. His eyes narrowed with each passing sentence. Madara had been the one to tell them the truth, but it was still an unresolved issue. Until now. If anyone knew the dark side Konoha hid from its public, it would be him. That didn't make it any easier for anyone to hear. Even now, the massacre still made Sakura inwardly shiver. Learning the truth exposed the gritty truth about shinobi life and the village both Kakashi and her held dear.

"This was composed by Danzo…I can determine that much," Kakashi said. "I'll take this to the Intelligence Department and have them sort through the message. But I'm almost certain what this is about. After hearing Sasuke and Itachi's story, I only needed something tangible to back them up. We are postponing anything to do with Itachi for the timing being. And you both…" his eye flickered to the Elders.

The man with the glasses stood up again. "This is an outrage! You're going to believe what this girl brought back? How do you know she didn't create this herself? Itachi was a madman who killed his clan. We were forgiving enough to be lenient on Sasuke, but this is—"

"Justice," Kakashi interrupted, "is what is." He folded the note and made his way to the office door. Sakura bit back a cry of relief. So maybe her plan had worked. It would all be over and Sasuke would come back to his brother. The possibility of a reunion and finally putting an end to all the hatred and grudges filled her with happiness. Even in the past few days, Sasuke had changed. It would take a long time to trust him again, but freeing Itachi would help improve their own bond.

"Sakura, come with me. I'll deal with you two later," Kakashi said. As childish as it was, Sakura felt the urge to send a triumphant glare back to the Elders, who appeared to be in a state of panic and disbelief. They delivered the note to the Intelligence Department, and Kakashi promised Sakura nothing would be done until this was deciphered. It had been a close call though. The reason the Elders had even met with Kakashi was to hurry Itachi's execution date, for fear he would attempt to escape.

It was the end of the day and the sunset basked over the Hokage mountain. Sakura grabbed a small bite to eat at the dango shop nearby, but was eager to come home and relax. Suddenly, taking a ten hour long nap sounded like an excellent idea. She could hardly believe she set out this morning to find the evidence—it seemed like a million years ago. She allowed herself a smile and enjoyed the peaceful commute back home.

A few days passed with no word from Kakashi. He had assured her this would take time to sort out through. There were a lot of lies and false traces that the Elders had planted. They had been terrified of the truth coming out. In the meantime, Sakura spent her time working shifts at the hospital, and helping Hinata in the reconstruction efforts with her home. Afterwards, they'd train together or go out for ramen. Hinata worried about Naruto, and had wanted to accompany him, but she stayed behind to take care of her sister. Her father was on the war frontlines, and Neji was still recovering from his injury, so there was no one around to care for Hanabi. Although Sakura's days were busy, it was at night when the anxiety crept in, sabotaging her thoughts and dreams with images of Itachi's execution. Other times, she wondered why Itachi had left such incriminating evidence in such an obvious place. Maybe there was a small part of him that wanted Sasuke to find it.

One afternoon—five days since she had stormed into the Hokage office—Sakura had been chatting with her mother while they were out grocery shopping when she saw him. Kakashi strolled over to them and waved. "Yo. How are you both doing?" he said.

"Ah, Kakashi-san, it's been a while. We are well, thank you. What about yourself? I know it must have been stressful, with everything that's been going on lately," Mebuki said. She shifted her bags on one arm. Her golden, short hair blew softly in the wind. People bustled past them, in a hurry to buy the freshest vegetables and fruits.

"There's never a dull day in the life of a shinobi. Let's talk somewhere more privately," Kakashi said. He led them down to a deserted section of town. It was a closed down tea shop. Sakura's stomach clenched with anticipation as she took a seat on one of the benches.

"Sakura, I'm sure you know what I'm here about. I trust your mother knows…?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura exchanged glances with Mebuki. She had told her parents a couple of days prior. Whatever the outcome, she wanted to be honest and explain what had happened during her travels. They had been silent, and it took them a few minutes to process. Even for civilians like them, they heard about how dangerous someone like Itachi was. After bringing them up to date, including the mission to the Uchiha compound, her father finally said in his low voice, "If Kakashi trusts him, than I do as well." Kizashi's respect for her sensei was well known—he had once saved his little sister from three muggers. Her mother was still skeptical, as were many of Konoha's people towards Uchiha in general, but Sakura took one small victory at a time.

"Yes, she does," Sakura said.

Kakashi continued, "There was another trial. This time the Elders were barred from it, and the evidence was obviously presented again and reevaluated. With the help of past Root members, we were able to understand the meaning behind Danzo's note. So, as of this morning, it's been decided. The verdict for Itachi is that…he walks free."

Those words were a melody—pure music—to Sakura's ears. The only word to describe how she felt was contentment. She could sleep tonight without the nightmares. It was only when she felt Mebuki lightly hug her, Sakura realized she was crying.

"Itachi hasn't been told yet. We are still working out the finer details and what this means for Konoha. Tsunade will be informed as soon as she arrives back," Kakashi said. His eye crinkled. "Now that Itachi is permitted to have visitors, would you like to do the honor?"

Sakura hastily wiped away her tears. "It would be my pleasure, Kakashi-sensei."

* * *

For the second time in two weeks, Sakura found herself being led by the same lackadaisical Chuunin down the hallway. Itachi was set to be released this afternoon. Kakashi had been arrange to open an apartment he and Sasuke would live in, just incase they didn't want to return to their old home. With a quick hug goodbye to her mother, Sakura had accompanied him back to the Interrogations Department, where they held Itachi. The trepidation she felt the first time she visited Sasuke had all but faded away, but the building still didn't make her feel any more at ease. She had no idea how Ibiki could spend most of his days here. Then again, some people said the same thing about her work at the hospital.

Their footsteps hitting the tile echoed down the hallway; grey, windowless walls made Sakura feel claustrophobic. Her ear pulsed with every heartbeat. They walked to the back of the hallway. Ibiki strode out of the one of the rooms, the sound of screaming heard behind him. He slammed the door shut with a final push and the cries were cut off.

"Disregard that," Ibiki said. He smiled faintly to Sakura, who repressed a shudder. "Ah, so it appears you were correct all along. Once I unlock this, Itachi is free to leave. Kakashi-san wants to meet with him to discuss further matters, but his time here is done. I'm sure he will want to rest after this whole ordeal. My interrogation with S-class criminals is far from a picnic, and these past couple of weeks have been rough. We have all the paperwork and official signatures confirming his release, which he can pick up at the office." Ibiki stepped forward to door and his hands flew into a chain of intricate seals. This must have been for high security holding cells, for Ibiki spent a good minute performing the jutsu that unlocked the door.

The iron door clicked, but did not open. Ibiki backed away and nodded to Sakura. "I need to be going. I'm swamped with work, as the alliance captured many of their enemies, and there are people that need questioning. It looks like this war may end well for us after all."

Sakura couldn't help but to think of the thousands of casualties all the shinobi nations had suffered, but agreed all the same. Maybe they would see peace for a while.

"Ayumu will be here if you or Itachi-san need any assistance," Ibiki said, gesturing to the Chuunin. He drew his coat around him and left back into the room which he came. Sakura drew a breath and opened the door. A cold, white light lit the room. There Itachi was, sitting with his head bowed, on a bed. There was nothing else in the cell. At first, Itachi didn't move at all. Too many hours facing brutal interrogation would desensitize anyone. When he realized it wasn't Ibiki, Itachi tilted his head and looked at Sakura. His dark eyes widened.

"You…" Itachi began. His voice was hoarse and he looked worse than Sakura had ever seen him—he face was gaunt, and his skin was colorless and devoid of any sun kissed glow. The lines under his eyes were even more pronounced. His dark clothes hung on his thin body, and his hair resembled Sasuke's when she had seen him here—unkempt and dull. But to Sakura, it was one of the most beautiful sights she'd seen. She cautiously stepped towards him, and after a moment's pause, threw herself into his arms.

Itachi sat rigid, like a frozen deer. "Is this some kind of Genjutsu to get me to talk? I've said everything I had to say," he whispered.

Sakura took his face—so cold, too cold—into her hands. Despite his suspicion, Itachi couldn't resist leaning into her hold. "No, this isn't. I'm here to tell you that you're free. Kakashi and the Intelligence team were able to present a document that confirmed your orders to assassinate the clan. As of today, all your crimes are pardoned and your record is cleared. It's all over, Itachi, you can leave this place."

"And Sasuke? He is okay as well?" Itachi said. The information was making him almost dizzy—or maybe it was lack of food, Sakura suspected. She took hold of one of his hands held it to her face, before kissing it softly. "He's fine. To redeem himself and erase his own criminal record, he had to go with Naruto to face off Madara."

At this point, Itachi drew back, a look of horror written over his features. "Madara? Do they know the kind of man he is? Unless the Alliance has a formidable army and a solid plan…I feel that I should be out there, helping them…" he rose with unsteady feet, as if to leave. Sakura gently pushed him back down.

"Right now, you're in no condition to be in combat with anyone, let alone Madara. But they do know what they're up against; Shikamaru and his father, Shikaku, are developing tactics as we speak and Konoha is relaying information back to them. I know everyone will combine their efforts in order to protect Naruto. And Sasuke is strong enough to defend himself and fight. You should have seen the look in his eyes before they set off, he _wants _to deal the final blow," Sakura said.

Itachi took into the information with absentminded nods. "I see, when it comes to strategy development, Nara Shikaku is one of the most talented men I ever met. I trust in him to do well. And I trust Naruto to protect Sasuke, even after everything that has been said and done. He gave his word to me." Itachi had a faraway look in his eyes, as though reliving some distance memory.

"I'll update you on everything else. But now that you know Sasuke is okay," Sakura held up the keys to the Uchiha compound. "Kakashi wanted you to have them. The land has been given back to you and your brother. Of course, if you don't want to live there, they can arrange for something else."

Itachi took the keys and examined them, drawing his finger along the edge. "I never thought I would hear those words. I was certain I would be executed. When I heard the verdict…it didn't surprise me. But it hurt all the same, knowing that I had someone brought light into my days for the first time in years."

Sakura rested her head on his (far too prominent) collarbone. It amazed her that a few months ago Itachi had been ready to give his own life for Sasuke without the slightest hesitation. Although he survived the battle with his brother, it seemed like he never knew what it meant to live until he found something worth living for. Sakura lifted her head to meet Itachi's gaze, and he kissed with so much tenderness it almost hurt. Itachi hadn't told her he loved her yet—he wouldn't until he could fully let his guard down. But she could feel it, with every touch, every kiss, every look Itachi sent her way that told her she meant more to him than he could ever express into words. He stood up, and lifted her into his arms. Sakura laughed at the sudden playfulness of the act, and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him hard.

"Welcome home, Itachi."

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! I have one chapter left. =)


	16. New Beginnings

**Chapter Sixteen - New Beginnings**

* * *

"No, no, you fold it like _this_," Sakura said. She held up her origami, which was shaped into a simple swan. The white napkin caught the afternoon sunlight's rays, streaming through the restaurant window.

Itachi's own napkin had been hopelessly bent into the shape of a…rock. There was no other way to describe it. An awkward beat of silence later, he unfolded the entire thing and placed it back on the table with as much dignity as he could muster. Clearly, the creative arts were not his forte. Sakura found it amusing that someone so skilled in a variety of complex jutsu had difficulty in such an elementary subject, but it wasn't his fault he was forced to spend his childhood years under a ruthless training regime. Times like this, she appreciated the fact that her parents had raised her civilian style. Before the academy began, Sakura spent her days learning basic origami from her father, who adored the ancient practice.

"Aw, well I'd say we're even, right?" Sakura teased, trying not to giggle at Itachi's bewildered face. They had spent the entire morning training. In the past few days since he'd been released, Itachi had resumed teaching her as much Genjutsu and taijutsu techniques as she could handle. It was far from the cute dates she imagined—Sakura often came home achy and exhausted, and passed out on her bed within seconds. She had been pushed to her limits and appreciated the fact that Itachi held such high expectations, but a part of her wondered if he was merely trying to keep himself distracted about the war.

The past two weeks of interrogation Itachi had endured had weakened him. And although he could still see, the figures were so blurry his combat abilities suffered as a result. Because of this, Kakashi ordered Itachi not to run after Naruto and Sasuke. It had taken all of Itachi's willpower to restrain himself from tracking down Madara himself, but even he could see that he had to recuperate and slowly rebuild his skills. Part of that plan included training with Sakura, which she happily welcomed.

"I expect to be proficient by the end of the week, and a master at this by end of the month," Itachi said. He activated his Sharingan and handed her his wrinkly napkin. "Do it again."

Sakura slowly folded the napkin once more, and this time Itachi was able to copy her technique. "You got it," she said, when he successfully created the origami after a second try. She couldn't keep the annoyance out of her voice—although she made up for lack of genetic gifts with her intelligence, it would be quite nice to have a special bloodline of her own.

"The Sharingan has its drawbacks," Itachi said with a chuckle, noticing the envious look on Sakura's face.

"Like your vision," Sakura said sadly. It was only through his keen senses and memory of his way around Konoha that enabled Itachi to get around the village. He still had to squint up close to read, and kept his Sharingan activated on an almost constant basis to accommodate. After numerous requests to examine his eyes, Itachi had finally told her one training morning that the only way to cure it was to take Sasuke's eyes for his own. The thought alone made her sick, and she could tell by Itachi's tone that he felt the same. She never brought up the topic again.

"What if it gets worse? I'd doubt you'd ever be able to go on missions. There's no way they would allow it if your vision was compromised like that," Sakura said.

"Well, lucky for me, the shinobi lifestyle is not something I want," Itachi said mildly. He rested his chin on his hand and stared past Sakura, out the window.

Sakura choked on her tea. "_What?_ But you're so talented at it! And it's all you ever trained to do." Though a small part of her had seen this coming, it was still difficult to imagine Itachi never wielding a kunai or making a hand seal again.

"I desire a quiet, peaceful life. I've been through enough battles and seen enough gore to last me several lifetimes. I've already discussed it with Kakashi, and he told me I could work along side Shikaku-san in the Intelligence department. I've always been interested in developing a more strategic defense line for Konoha. After all those attacks, they're long overdue for a new security structure," Itachi explained.

"Oh," Sakura said. Now that she thought about it, she could see Itachi succeeding and actually enjoying in such a position. During all the times they fought together, and even before that when she faced _against _him, Itachi never seemed to relish the thrill of battle. Not like she and Naruto did.

"Or, I know the Yamanka shop is looking for a flower arranger," Itachi added.

It was only after a long moment, Sakura realized he was joking. She playfully nudged her foot into his leg underneath the table. "You're going to have to be a lot more creative and actually appreciate color if you'd want a position like that."

Itachi's lips broke into a small smile. "Are you referring to the décor I chose for my apartment? I know that grey makes an excellent, soothing shade. Whites and blacks help complement it. My interior design choices are superb."

"A splash of blue or red wouldn't hurt, you know," Sakura said. Itachi only gave a half-hearted shrug in response. When she helped him purchase furniture for the new apartment Kakashi supplied for him and Sasuke, she had brought along with her all her mother's décor magazines, which Itachi promptly dismissed. After a heated discussion about the kind of fruit Sasuke would prefer to see the second he walked in, Sakura's suggestion of a bowl of tomatoes placed on the kitchen table finally won out. She offered to pick some wildflowers to put in a vase, but Itachi stayed true to his simplistic ways declined the offer.

Their orders arrived and they ate in comfortable silence. When Sakura finished, she sipped the last of her beverage and sat back. Itachi sensed her stare and asked, "Is something wrong…?"

"No, I'm just happy you're here," Sakura said. "So many things could have gone wrong. If I hadn't acted when I did and found that note…" She reached across the table and intertwined her fingers with his own. Even this small touch was probably crossing the line of Itachi's comfortableness of PDA, but right now, she didn't care. Itachi returned the smile, and gave Sakura's hand a comforting squeeze as he pulled away.

"So you knew to look behind the photograph?"

"Yeah, but I was _this _close to getting caught," Sakura said, emphasizing her point by bringing her two fingers together. "Why did you put it there anyway?"

"I was supposed to burn the document, but I …couldn't bring myself to do it. If Sasuke ever stumbled upon it one day, it would be meaningless, and I would be long dead. There was always something I the back of my mind that agreed with the Third Hokage that Sasuke should and has a right to know the truth. So I left him that little clue. If he ever cared enough to investigate it, it would lead to Danzo. And if he didn't pursue it further, then he's finally moved on from revenge…" Itachi said. He pulled some cash out of his wallet and dropped some on the table.

"I see," Sakura said. She looked up to Sarutobi Hiruzen, and he was an incredibly talented shinobi, but more than once she had wondered why he hadn't been there when Naruto and Sasuke needed him. They had been forced to grow up and fend for themselves.

They were greeted by the cool night air. The sky glittered with stars millions of miles away. "As you probably understand by now, I'm terrible at predicting my brother's behavior," Itachi said. They had avoided the topic of Sasuke at all during these past few days. It didn't take a genius to figure out how anxious it made Itachi. The alliance sent back updates every few hours on the progress, but it brought little solace. Death only took a mere second, and with enemies like Madara and the man Kakakshi referred to as Obito, that was all too possible. Not to mention, the last time Itachi and Sasuke had talked, it had ended with an attempted murder.

"I don't think it was that. You were conflicted and there was no easy choice, I'm so glad the Council of Elders finally got what was coming to them. Tsunade always hated how they pushed her around," Sakura said.

"Ah, but they always had Konoha's best interest in heart. And who could blame them?" Itachi said.

Sakura scoffed and didn't try to hide the roll of her eyes. "If anyone could see the good in those two, it would be you." They stopped in front of his apartment. People passing by spared a curious glance in their direction; despite the wary attitude and whispers around him, no one had said anything to Itachi. It was probably intimidation, and the fact that Kakashi had established the truth behind his past. Naruto had been correct about everyone's perceptions, but they would come around eventually. For now, Sakura tried not to care what anyone thought. So long as she had her friends and family's support, what did it matter?

Itachi cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, before reaching in his pocket for his keys. "Would you like to come in?" He smiled shyly, in that adorable way Sakura loved.

"Yeah, that would be nice. Thank you," Sakura said. Although her parents still hadn't completely warmed up to the idea of Itachi, they understood he was a good person. He met them the other day for lunch. Sakura's mother spared no mercy just because of Itachi's reputation; she grilled the older Uchiha about his plans for his future laced with subtle threats of what would befall him if he broke her daughter's heart. Sakura found the whole conversation mortifying, but Itachi didn't mind. "I can see where you get your protective streak from," he said with a bemused smile afterwards.

Missions that lasted for weeks in dangerous territories had been something Sakura's parents had to get used to, so they didn't mind if she spent the night at a friend's house in the safety of Konoha. Shinobi grew up fast, but with that came the perks of being independent. They walked up the stairs towards his apartment, and right as Itachi unlocked the door, he stilled for a moment. Sakura looked up at in inquisitively and he said under his breath, "There is someone in there. I can sense a chakra signature."

"You mean an intruder?" she mouthed silently.

Itachi pulled out a couple of kunai and pressed his ear against the door. His hearing senses had sharpened considerably since the decline of his vision, so he had no trouble determining what was going on in his apartment. "It sounds as though the person is…eating?"

Itachi swung open the door, kunai raised, only to let out a small gasp. This was the first time Sakura had seen pure shock capture his normally impassive features. Standing in the middle of the kitchen stood Sasuke, who was mid-bite into a tomato. Juice dribbled down his chin and he said, "You know, you really need to upgrade your security measures. This was way too easy to break into."

"Sasuke…" Itachi breathed. After a cautious step, he was in front of his brother a second later. He tilted his head and examined Sasuke, who only said, "And no, I'm not an illusion. I'll prove it. That time Father blamed you for losing his collection of prized shuriken? That was actually me. I threw them into the lake when he refused to teach me a fire jutsu."

"Sasuke, you're terrible," Sakura giggled.

Itachi clicked his tongue in amused annoyance. "I suspected as much; Shisui was a prankster, but not even he would dare pull something like that. So it is you…I thought you were supposed to be with Naruto and the others?"

"We beat them…at least the major players," Sasuke said. "It was a tough battle and many of our best ninja died. Madara ended up killing Shino and Kiba before we finally took him down. Naruto had to use every once of chakra from the Kyuubi, and my Susansoo wasn't almost enough to get the job done, but we did it. Naruto is in the hospital recovering from chakra exhaustion. He had a close call, but the medics say he'll be fine, and the rest of our teammates are okay. Still…so many lives were lost." Sasuke shuddered, remembering the horrors he'd seen. Sakura's eyes teared up at the thought of losing Kiba and Shino, who she had grown up with and endured the Chuunin exams together. _Poor Hinata, _she thought. Losing your genin team must be horrifying on all sorts of levels. People moved on to join the ANBU ranks, or graduate to jonin, but no one could replace your original team. Eventually, they became like family to you.

"I can't believe it," Sakura whispered. "Maybe if I had been there, I could have saved them in time."

Sasuke shook his head. "Madara pummeled a meteor into the earth, destroying the area. By the time he finished, there was nothing left to save." He turned to Itachi and in one movement, enveloped him in a hug. "I can't believe I almost killed you, _twice. _I'm sorry, and I now I understand why you so desperately wanted to avoid war, to a point where you'd kill our clan and side with Konoha. I may not ever really know you felt, or even agree with it, but seeing what I saw…it made me realize how lucky I am to have someone left for me that cares. As we speak, many shinobi are coming back to empty houses. I know how lonely that is."

Itachi returned the embrace. "You know I'll always be there for you. I haven't been the perfect sibling either. I'm just glad to see you safe and unharmed." They broke away and looked at Sakura, who was trying not to tear up—and failing—at the reunion. The ominous cloud over her head finally cleared; she could see Ino and Naruto and the rest of her peers. Maybe now, they could return to the peace they had grown up with.

"So, does this mean you'll stop trying to kill everyone? For good?" Sakura asked. She was only half-teasing.

"I've let go of a lot of the anger I held, but I still believe Konoha is need of major change. I don't agree with the massacre, and how they handled it," Sasuke said. "When I reported back to Kakashi, and he told me about what happened with the Council of Elders. They're facing charges and will have to answer for their actions. While I'm relieved to hear that, I want to ensure this never happens again." The tired bags under his eyes and the dried blood that clung to his skin made him look like an experienced veteran who had seen too much. Somewhere along the way, Sasuke had matured into a young man.

"I wish I had told you the truth when I was younger," Itachi said. "Instead of pushing you away and down the path of hatred, you could have used your passion to change our clan. I could never convince him, but maybe you could have been the one to talk some sense into Father."

"It's too late to think about those possibilities. The best we can do it move forward," Sasuke said. "I'm grateful Konoha gave me another chance to prove myself."

"We're just grateful you've come back. Is Naruto awake?" Sakura asked. "I want to see him as soon as possible."

"He's in intensive care, and they're not allowing visitors until tomorrow morning. He really pushed himself fighting Madara—I don't think I've ever seen him endure so much for so long," Sasuke said. He brushed his bangs back and made his way back to the door. "But for now, I need to see Ibiki. I'll be back in a couple of hours." As a part of Sasuke's exchange for his freedom, he had to report to the Hokage and the Interrogation department for updates on his psychological status. It was a small price to pay for treason. Sasuke brought valuable skills and a bloodline that Konoha couldn't afford to eliminate, but he would still be under scrutiny the rest of his life.

"Then I'll bring Naruto a huge bowl of ramen for lunch. Knowing him, he won't be able to swallow down the hospital food," Sakura said. Afterwards, she planned on visiting Ino. They had _a lot _of catching up to do, and her best friend would be furious if she was kept in the dark about the latest on Sakura's love life. If anyone would accept Itachi, it would be Ino.

"Yeah, it's too way healthy for his tastes," Sasuke said. "I'll meet you at the hospital at noon then?"

Sakura agreed, while Itachi bowed his head good-bye and said, "Welcome back, little brother."

Sasuke gripped the door handle. "It's good to be back." His voice cracked and he blinked a few times before exiting the apartment.

When it was once again just the two of them, Itachi said, "You knew Sasuke had returned." It wasn't a question.

Sakura shifted around nervously. "Yeah, I was a little scared Sasuke would talk into some trap you set, but he assured me he could handle it. He arrived back earlier today. They'll be announcing the end of the war in a few weeks, after they seal the last of the Edo-Tensei. I wanted Sasuke's return to be a surprise to you, so I told Kakashi-sensei not to tell you anything. I'm guessing by the look on your face, it actually worked!"

"It did," Itachi said. "I was so worried for him…thank you for this, it made my day," he stepped towards Sakura and stroked her cheek, studying her with half-lidded eyes, a gentle smile playing on his lips. She felt her skin warm up at his touch.

"You know, we have a few hours until Sasuke gets back. Why don't we make the most of our time?" Sakura said, her lips grazing his ear.

Itachi's breath hitched and he nodding in understanding. He led her to his bedroom, which resembled the rest of his apartment in style. Leaning towards a few candles that stood on his dresser, Itachi made a few hand signs and lit them up with a quick blow.

"That's so romantic," Sakura said. Ino and Hinata would absolutely _swoon _when she told them about this.

Itachi awkwardly straightened up. "I appreciate your observation, but actually…I just haven't bought a lamp yet."

Oh. Well, Sakura would just leave out that little tidbit when she relayed it back to her friends. She slyly grinned and stood on her tip toes to meet his lips. Out of both of them, Sakura was usually the one who initiated contact. Itachi was reserved by nature, and the life he had been forced to lead only strengthened that characteristic. Although he had been the one to kiss her first, it would take years before he would be completely comfortable with physical contact. For now, Sakura didn't miss the way his muscles sometimes tensed when she got close, or the impulse to pull away from her if he brooded on his past. In a way, Itachi both needed someone who could bring laughter and light into his life. Someone who could make him forget his own thoughts, even for just a moment.

And Sakura would just the person to do it.

Itachi's hand trailed down Sakura's spine, making her shiver from the light touch. Their kisses grew longer and more passionate. She felt Itachi's toned chest through his shirt, and found it to be an increasingly annoying obstacle. Itachi paused for a moment, and smirked at her, before pulling off his shirt in one movement. In the candle lights' flattering glow, his abdominal muscles appeared even more pronounced. Sakura pressed herself against him and nibbled on the sensitive part of his ear.

Placing an arm around her waist, Itachi led her to his bed and leaned over her as she lay down. He pulled Sakura's own zipper down her vest, revealing her green-and-white bra (which she was thanking every god out there for choosing over her beige one). Out of instinct, Sakura turned away slightly into the bed.

"I know I'm not…well I'm not exactly as blessed as most girls…" she stuttered. All the years of rude kids teasing her about being as flat as a board, a fact only made more obvious when compared to her medical teacher, hadn't done much for her confidence. Even Ino and Hinata had blossomed in a way Sakura hadn't; it normally didn't bother her much, but times like this…

"You're lovely the way you are, Sakura," Itachi said. His eyes roamed freely down her torso. He lowered himself down onto her and added, "Contrary to popular belief, not all men prefer a large…asset on a woman."

Sakura knew by his darkened, intensified gaze Itachi meant every word he said. She had never felt so _desired _by another man—not even Rock Lee or Naruto. The feeling exhilarated and scared her. Being the focus of such raw emotions was a new sensation. And she loved it.

Itachi's fingers toyed with her skirt, which Sakura helped him zip off, showing her matching lacy and green boy shorts. Itachi traced his fingers up her leg and planted kisses along her neck. He could tell she was still hesitant—they both were—and they took their time exploring each other, until Sakura felt like she was going to explode from the anticipation. Going by Itachi's heavy breathing and the way his hands lingered on her inner thighs, she knew he was going through the same experience. Sakura spread her legs even further, allowing Itachi to lean in more. He removed his own black pants, and then raised himself over Sakura.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Itachi asked. "You should be comfortable, and if I'm going too far…"

Sakura silenced him with a kiss hard enough to bruise their lips. She didn't have to elaborate any further—Itachi sighed her name and pressed himself against her. It was a beautiful sight to see: Itachi finally allowing himself to be as vulnerable as when he first kissed her. The emotions that had been long forgotten, drilled out of him during ruthless training and missions came alive in his eyes once more. Sakura's back arched into the bed and she bit back a low moan as Itachi unhooked her bra. Her eyes fluttered shut. Truthfully, she wanted to forget her own past. The death of Kiba and Shino, the stress of the last few months, the unknown status of Tsunade; they were the painful reminders that life isn't guaranteed. Every day is a gift, and time is the most precious one of all.

_It's a privilege to be loved by you. _

That night, Sakura tore down a wall she never thought she could climb. Neither of them were used to such an intimate expression, and struggled to read each other's body language. The experience had been awkward, nerve-wracking, and…incredible. They had a lot to learn, but as Sakura realized all too happily, that they had all the time in the world to do so.

* * *

The following day, Sakura and Sasuke watched Naruto slurp his ramen happily. As they had predicted, the sautéed vegetables served by one of the nurses had been discarded to the side as soon as Naruto saw his teammates walk in. Sasuke stared at the vegetables with an envious look in his eyes. He had been busy setting up the last of the apartment with Itachi, and skipped breakfast.

"Man, this is some good stuff! I'm so glad Ichiraku opened up! There's nothing like having your friends bring it to you after you've woken up from the most amazing sleep of your life," Naruto said.

Sakura stared around at all the flowers and balloons that were lined on the windowsill. Since Naruto's defeat against Pein, he had become quite popular in the village. Some of the notes looked suspiciously like love letters.

"I take this as a sign you're feeling better," Sasuke said. He had cleaned up since Sakura had last seen him, and aside from a fractured wrist and a couple of bruised ribs, he had been spared most of the damage as well.

"Oh, yeah. The Kyuubi wasn't too happy about me using so much chakra and nearly dieing, but since we're allies now, he didn't really throw a hissy fit. How's Itachi, by the way?" Naruto asked. He bit into a naruto—the swirly colored food he was named after—and chewed with an orgasmic expression. Sakura snickered, while Sasuke coughed to hide his own amusement.

"We're living together. It's weird but…I realize we spent half of our lives apart. We know each other so well, but sometimes I feel like a stranger to him, you know?" Sasuke said.

"Well, things will get better. It's not gonna be easy at first. The last time you talked, you guys were basically kids, but that doesn't change the fact that you're family. It makes me wish I had a brother," Naruto said. He stared wistfully out the window.

It broke Sakura's heart to hear that. It wasn't fair that Naruto was left with no one he was related to. She and Sasuke were so lucky to at least have someone to come home to. Sakura reached over and held Naruto's hand. "You may not have a biological family, but you have us. And Kakashi-sensei, and the rest of our classmates, and Tsunade-shishou."

Tsunade was also staying at the hospital. She had been critically injured, along with the other kage, in their fight against Madara. A jagged rock pierced her skull, forcing her to fall into a coma. Had Tsunade been anyone else, the injury would have killed her instantly, but her medical abilities and slug summon saved her. The Raikage had died in battle, and Gaara suffered third-degree burns and broken bones. Kakashi would probably stay as temporary Hokage for at least a few more months.

Until then, Sakura made sure to visit Tsunade has much as possible, reading her excerpts from medical textbooks incase the comatose kunoichi could understand (Sakura knew that was next to impossible, but she still tried). She had dearly missed her sensei over these last few months. Her worst fear was that Tsunade would never wake. Everyday, as the causalities were added up and injured shinobi poured into the hospital, Sakura despised war and all its atrocities more and more. It was like stepping back and seeing a twisted artwork from far away—the consequences seemed so much more devastating now than in the middle of the action.

Naruto's eyes brightened when he felt Sakura's comforting touch. He placed aside his empty bowl and wrapped one arm around her. "Thank you, I really appreciate that."

"I may have been pretty horrible in the past, but I'll always be there for you. Anyone that's willing to go that far to help me deserves my respect. You can count on us to have your back," Sasuke said.

The sound of Naruto's heart monitor beeped with every breath he took. Sakura clutched her bag and allowed her eyes to close. After all the heartache, the chasing, the fighting, their friendship had managed to survive, and even flourish. And if the war had brought one good thing to her life, it was Itachi. For the first time in many months, Sakura was eager to see what the future held in store.

* * *

Sweat dripped down Hinata's neck. Her arms tingled with the adrenaline of a long, drawn out fighting session. Her calves protested each step she took into the newly built Hyuuga compound. Hanabi followed closely behind. "It was good to get back into training. I've missed it!" Hanabi said. The fiery expression in her eyes was as powerful as ever.

"Ah," Hinata agree. "We should do this again. Tomorrow morning?"

Just because they had concluded the end to a deadly war, doesn't mean Konoha's ninja could afford to become soft. If anything, they had to remain more vigilant, with Orochimaru still out on the loose. They walked into the house, which was decorated with Hyuuga emblems and pearly curtains that represented the color of their eyes. Pale roses sat on the coffee table. Every since her mother had died, Hiashi always filled the vase with some of her favorite flowers. He hadn't been the best father, but it was no mystery how dearly he missed his wife

Hanabi's face brightened. "Sure! I've missed you, sis. It's been hard without you here."

Hanabi glided back into her bedroom to rest, while Hinata prepared a snack for the both of them. She detected her father's presence even before he entered the room. Over the past few weeks since she had been home, he had barely commented on her kidnapping with Kabuto. He only asked her if she displayed the bravery and poise that was expected of a Hyuuga heiress. After Hanabi's injury, he had engrossed himself in the matter of her recovery. To him, Neji was a lost cause and the lack of confidence in Hinata's abilities to lead the clan was all too obvious, despite her many accomplishments since her genin days. It infuriated her.

"I know about you and the Uzumaki boy," Hiashi said. He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter top. "You're involvement with him. Did you believe you could keep that a secret from me?"

Hinata kept her back to him. She had activated her Byakugan out of sheer stress.

After a moment's pause, Hiashi continued. "There is no need to be nervous. I approve. He will take care of you, and ensure our clan's survival."

There should have been a moment of relief. A joyous occasion where she wouldn't have to worry about what her father thought. On the contrary, Hiashi's blessing was not something she sought after. Hinata pivoted on her heel to face him, and said, "I don't need anyone to protect me. Naruto may be strong, but we view each other as equals." She would still lead the clan, along with Neji and Hanabi.

"From this point on, nothing will stop me from accomplishing my dreams to change the Hyuuga for the better," Hinata said. She walked out, before taking in the sight of Hiashi's shocked expression. Standing up to her father had been an achievement in of itself. But facing the fears that waged war within her mind for years? _So _worth it.

The morning couldn't have started off any better.

* * *

**The End **

Thank you, to everyone for reading this! I apologize for the long wait; I started a full time job and I thought I would have finished this before then. I miss my carefree college schedule ^_^ Anyway, thanks again for your input and sticking with the story. I'll continue writing fanfics, but maybe with different characters. Have a good summer!


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